SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD WILL 411 



postal and copyright conventions or the International Bureau of the 

 American Eepublics, are semi-scientific in character. Still others are 

 concerned with the applications of science or with scientific research. 

 Examples of these are the International Bureau of Weights and Meas- 

 ures at Paris, the International Geodetic Bureau at Strashurg, the In- 

 ternational Institute of Agriculture at Enme, the International Cata- 

 logue of Scientific Literature at London, the ISTobel Institutes at Stock- 

 holm and the Naples Zoological Station. There are international com- 

 •mittees on electrical units, on mapping the earth and the skies, on deep- 

 sea exploration and the like. We have attained a common calendar 

 and a meridian of Greenwich with standard time. The metric s^^stem 

 is becoming universal, and there is no reason why the gram of pure 

 gold should not be adopted as a monetary standard. The exact defi- 

 nition of boundaries and other applications of science to international 

 questions do away with the misunderstandings that may lead to war. 

 International cooperation in science and scholarship and in their 

 applications has reached such dimensions that it may be that the time 

 has come when a truly international university might be established to 

 advantage. If each nation would reduce its armaments to the extent of 

 one per cent, and devote the money to the establishment and support of 

 an international university, this step would in itself reduce the risks of 

 war by more than one per cent. Such an institution could consequently 

 be established without cost, and would be of vast intellectual, social and 

 economic benefit to the world. It could be placed in Holland, Belgium 

 or Switzerland, or perhaps still better in a territory made international 

 for the purpose, such as one of the channel islands or Monte Carlo, 

 wherever conditions of access, climate and environment would be most 

 favorable. The conduct of such a territory and institution would give 

 profitable practise in international cooperation. The high traditions of 

 the university would be made tributary to international good-will and 

 would themselves be further developed for the benefit of universit'es 

 everywhere. Libraries and museums of international scope for the 

 preservation of standards, type specimens, archives, etc., might to ad- 

 vantage be gathered together. Research institutions could be estab- 

 lished by states or by private endowment ; for the scientific work which 

 is not primarily of benefit to a single individual or even to a single na- 

 tion, can most properly be supported by all. By the establishment of 

 an international university the nations would in part repay, or at least 

 acknowledge, the debt which they owe to science for its services on be- 

 half of the peace and welfare of the world. 



