THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY 29 



has been; and it is exactly like that which I should have if I 

 were to enter a museum, and find, side by side the Venus of 

 Milo, a living tiger, a collection of rare manuscripts, and sanitary 

 appliances. (Laughter.) You will be interested to hear that, 

 amongst the institutions which are to be provided for in this 

 building, is the International Bureau of American Republics; 

 but it is also intended to include " The International Congress 

 for Providing Cheap Lodgings." Anyone who enters the build- 

 ing and tries to find the particular room to which he wants to 

 go has to ask the man in charge. You can imagine this kind of a 

 conversation taking place: 



' Is this the International Union of Friends of Young Girls? ' 



' No, but it is the International Congress of Commercial Travelers." 



(Laughter.) 



The architect, no doubt will do his best to group together 

 associations relating to the same subjects, and it would be interest- 

 ing to pass through the corridors devoted to all the religious and 

 irreligious societies that take the name of " international." If 

 a humorist were to exchange the name plates over the doors, 

 the mathematician who has traveled all the way from Australia 

 to attend the " International Congress for Promoting the Study 

 of Quaternions " might find himself in the room reserved for the 

 " International Union of Woman Suffrage," and a member of 

 the "Association of Seismology" might be mixed up with the 

 association to prevent the abuse of alcohol. (Laughter.) 



I do not like to throw ridicule on what is obviously a well 

 meant effort, but however much our sympathy may extend to 

 each of these objects separately, no good purpose is served by 

 inventing a connecting link between incommensurate objects, 

 such as solar research and the proper observation of Sundays. 

 (Laughter.) 



Our work is sufficiently difficult, if we confine ourselves to 

 scientific methods. It nevertheless remains true that it is desir- 

 able to establish some central authority which can act as a con- 

 necting link between different associations. What should its 



