The Albert Einstein Centennial Message of the President.

March 14, 1979, marks the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Albert Einstein—a man who profoundly influenced the shape of science and the course of history.

Albert Einstein set the tone for nearly a century of physics. He took a science that could no longer explain phenomena through the concepts of Newton and greatly expanded its viewpoint. His insights form the basis of much of our Twentieth Century comprehension and control of matter and energy. We are still following the path he outlined, and his genius remains a powerful stimulus and guide for future scientific discovery.

But Albert Einstein left his mark on humanity by more than just his brilliant scientific achievements. He will be remembered by all of us for the simplicity of his life, the humility and willingness with which he shared his talents and the dedication with which he pursued the greatest good of all mankind.

He believed that it was the nature of man to inquire thoroughly and endlessly. In a lecture at Oxford he stated: "The deeper we search, the more we find there is to know, and as long as human life exists, I believe it will always be so." And he believed such search was worthwhile. "The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible," he said.

Einstein abhorred oppression. He fled from it in his native land and found freedom and friendship in the United States. His gentle nature led him toward pacificism, but he was at the same time deeply committed to the defense of freedom and rights of free people everywhere.

He sought and found order, understanding and beauty in the universe. He gave his findings freely to all the world. Our tallest tribute to him in this centennial year of his birth is to reaffirm our commitment to build vigorously on his enduring legacy of scientific discovery and social progress.

JIMMY CARTER