Imyselfamnolongeryoung,andIfrequentlyaskmyselfwhether,inspiteofrecenteffortsofthegovernmentaidedbysomeprivatedonations,IshalleversucceedinbuildingupforthosewhowillcomeaftermeanInstituteofRadium,suchasIwishtothememoryofPierreCurieandtothehighestinterestofhumanity.
However,apreciousencouragementcametomeintheyear.OntheinitiativeofagenerousdaughteroftheUnitedStates,Mrs.W.B.Meloney,thewomenofthatgreatAmericancountrycollectedafund,the"MarieCurieRadiumFund,"andofferedmethegiftofagrammeofradiumtobeplacedentirelyatmydisposalforscientificresearch.Mrs.MeloneyinvitedmewithmydaughterstocometoAmericaandtoreceivethegift,orthesymbolofit,fromthehandsofthePresidentofthegreatrepublic,attheWhiteHouse.
Thefundwascollectedbyapublicsubscription,aswellbysmallasbyimportantgifts,andIwasverythankfultomysistersofAmericaforthisgenuineproofoftheiraffection.SoIstartedforNewYorkatthebeginningofMay,afteraceremonygiveninmyhonorattheOperaofParis,togreetmebeforemydeparting.
IkeepagratefulmemoryofmysojournintheUnitedStatesforseveralweeks,oftheimpressivereceptionattheWhiteHouse,wherePresidentHardingaddressedmeingenerousandaffectionatewords,ofmyvisitstotheuniversitiesandcollegeswhichwelcomedmeandbestowedonmetheirhonorarydegrees,ofthepublicreunionswhereIcouldnotbutfeelthedeepsympathyofthosewhocametomeetmeandtowishmegoodluck.
IhadalsotheopportunityofavisittotheNiagaraFallsandtotheGrandCanyon,andadmiredimmenselythesemarvelouscreationsofnature.
Unhappily,theprecariousstateofmyhealthdidnotpermitofthecompletefulfilmentofthegeneralplanestablishedbymyvisittoAmerica.However,Isawandlearnedmuch,andmydaughtersenjoyedtoafullextenttheopportunitiesoftheirunexpectedvacationandtheprideintherecognitionoftheirmother'swork.WeleftforEuropeattheendofJune,withtherealsorrowofpartingfromexcellentfriendswhomwewouldnotforget.
Icamebacktomywork,madeeasierbythepreciousgift,withanevenstrongerdesiretocarryitforwardwithrenewedcourage.Butasmyaimsarestillwantingsupportinessentialparts,Iamfrequentlycompelledtogivethoughttoaveryfundamentalquestionconcerningtheviewascientistoughttotakeofhisdiscovery.
Myhusband,aswellasmyself,alwaysrefusedtodrawfromourdiscoveryanymaterialprofit.Wehavepublished,sincethebeginning,withoutanyreserve,theprocessthatweusedtopreparetheradium.Wetookoutnopatentandwedidnotreserveanyadvantageinanyindustrialexploitation.Nodetailwaskeptsecret,anditisduetotheinformationwegaveinourpublicationsthattheindustryofradiumhasbeenrapidlydeveloped.Uptothepresenttimethisindustryhardlyusesanymethodsexceptthoseestablishedbyus.Thetreatmentofthemineralsandthefractionalcrystallizationsarestillperformedinthesameway,asIdiditinmylaboratory,evenifthematerialmeansareincreased.
Asfortheradiumpreparedbymeoutoftheorewemanagedtoobtaininthefirstyearsofourwork,Ihavegivenitalltomylaboratory.Thepriceofradiumisveryhighsinceitisfoundinmineralsinverysmallquantities,andtheprofitsofitsmanufacturehavebeengreat,asthissubstanceisusedtocureanumberofdiseases.Soitisafortunewhichwehavesacrificedinrenouncingtheexploitationofourdiscovery,afortunethatcould,afterus,havegonetoourchildren.Butwhatisevenmoretobeconsideredistheobjectionofmanyofourfriends,whohaveargued,notwithoutreason,thatifwehadguaranteedourrights,wecouldhavehadthefinancialmeansoffoundingasatisfactoryInstituteofRadium,withoutexperiencinganyofthedifficultiesthathavebeensuchahandicaptobothofus,andarestillahandicaptome.Yet,Istillbelievethatwehavedoneright.
Humanity,surely,needspracticalmenwhomakethebestoftheirworkforthesakeoftheirowninterests,withoutforgettingthegeneralinterest.Butitalsoneedsdreamers,forwhomtheunselfishfollowingofapurposeissoimperativethatitbecomesimpossibleforthemtodevotemuchattentiontotheirownmaterialbenefit.Nodoubtitcouldbesaidthattheseidealistsdonotdeserverichessincetheydonothavethedesireforthem.Itseems,however,thatasocietywellorganizedoughttoassuretotheseworkersthemeansforefficientlabor,inalifefromwhichmaterialcareisexcludedsothatthislifemaybefreelydevotedtotheserviceofscientificresearch.