F c b . . 1917
T H E J O 1-RS.4 L 0 F I N D LTST RI -4 L A
“NEITHER FISH, NOR FLESH, NOR GOOD RED HERRING” Some five years ago we suggested through t h e columns of Scieirce t h e need of a readjustment of t h e policies of t h e American Association for t h e Advancement of Science. These suggestions proceeded from a loyal interest in t h e welfare of t h a t organization a n d a deep-seated conviction of t h e important relation it bore t o t h e advancement of the higher life of t h e Nation. Because of t h e rapidly increasing number of members of t h e various special scientific societies and of t h e constantly lengthening programs i t mas rapidly becoming a physical impossibility t o conduct meetings of t h e Associat.ion along t h e enjoyable a n d thoroughly stimulative lines of earlier years. The Association was urged. therefore, t o discontinue its Annual Meetings, t o aid in all possible ways t h e upbuilding of t h e affiliated societies, a n d t o hold. triennially, or quadrenially, meetings which should be truly great national gatherings of t h e scientists of America. At such meetings t h e usual program of disconnected reports of t h e results of researches would naturally be substituted by invited reports on noteworthy research and b y symposiums on problems of fundamental a n d far-reaching importance, programs participated in b y t h e very ablest men of t h e country. Such meetings “would be inspiring t o all of us a n d would make a national impress.” About t w o years ago announcement was made b y t h e officers of t h e Association t h a t quadrennial general meetings would be held. The first of these was recently held in New York City. Has t h e idea of a general meeting been realized? We think not, and t o confirm this judgment t h e same question has been asked of many who attended t h e meetings in t h e various Sections and t h e replies have been uniformly in t h e negative. The limited registration of only 2 , 1 0 0 , while published estimates indicate t h e attendance of approximately 8,000, suggests a greater interest in t h e meetings of t h e numerous affiliated societies meeting during Convocation Week t h a n in those of t h e greater organization. The press accounts throughout t h e count r y leave clearly t h e conviction t h a t no great impress has been made upon t h e body politic by this gathering of scientists. Some distinguished citizens of t h e city of t h e place of meeting attended some of t h e sessions. We s a t near one. He did not snore, b u t he certainly had one of t h e best naps he has h a d since he was a boy. There was no great outpouring of wealth in this center of riches t o support a n d endow t h e import a n t researches being conducted by the members of t h e .issociation. Gifts for t h e research fund amounted t o only $I,joo. Meanwhile t h e Council debated t h e question of t h e entrance fee of $j.oo and, while admitting t h e fine results obtained during t h e past year by remitting t h e fee in case of members from affiliated societies, nevertheless, restricted t h e remission in t h e f u t u r e t o such as are “elected t o membership in t h e American Association for t h e Advancement of Science within one year of t h e election t o membership in a n affiliated society.”
D E N G I N E E RI *VG C H E 311s T K Y
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It is evident from t h e program t h a t some progress has been made toIyard a real general meeting; b u t , if a frank and friendly criticism may be made, t h a t progress is slight. The officers of t h e Association have failed t o grasp t h e full possibilities of such a meeting, t h e possibilities of stimulating t h e scientific mind of t h e country and of arousing t h e general public t o t h e far-reaching importance of t h e work of its scientists. We now have neither t h e former gathering of a limited number of congenial spirits, nor t h e character of program which the term “General Meeting” implies. We are “neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring.” The simple voting in t h e Council t h a t once in four years a general meeting shall he held, does not create a general meeting in t h e sense which t h e times demand. T h a t legislative act must be supplemented by t h e activities of a Program Committee in full symp a t h y with t h e new departure a n d blessed with an abounding spirit of originality. Rouse yourselves, gentlemen of t h e Council; throw open wide t h e doors of t h e Association by t h e complete abolition of t h e entrance fee; trust t h e permanency of your membership t o t h e attractiveness of your programs a n d t h e spirit of cooperation in scientific endeavor, rather t h a n t o t h e fictitious fear of renewed payment of this fee because of lapsed membership; impress upon your Program Committee t h e thought t h a t times have changed and t h a t if t h e American Association for t h e Advancement of Science is t o continue t h a t great usefulness which once characterized it, new policies must be adopted t o meet t h e changed conditions (herein lies a direct responsibility for t h e meeting in Chicago four years hence): bring together all classes of scientific men who have each with t h e other some common ground of interest; a n d bring into full sympathetic touch with your efforts t h a t great mass of thoughtful American citizens whose interest can be easily if correctly aroused a n d whose support will quickly dispel all of your financial cares a n d yield a n endowment for research which will be whole-hearted a n d effective. -
INTELLECT CONQUERS APPETITE We have been present a t many meetings when papers on chemical subjects were presented. We have often noted t h e look of weariness on t h e part of hearers as t h e dry, unessential a n d almost infinitesimal details of research were enumerated or t h e dreary monotone of almost interminable, continuous reading of manuscript proceeded. We even detected t h e note of joy when the “ayes” were once called on a motion t o adjourn a very dignified Division of t h e Society for t h e express purpose of attending a league baseball game in Detroit. T h a t is one side of t h e picture. The other side was presented a t the meeting of t h e Institute of Chemical Engineers a t t h e Chemists’ Club on t h e evening of January Ioth, when Dr. J. E. Bucher presented his paper on t h e fixation of nitrogen. N o advance advertisement of t h e treat in store had been promulgated. The audience was somewhat limited a n d t h e representatives of t h e press were conspicuously absent. A few minutes after Dr.
