74 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 1 1 , NO. 4 



The distribution of information to fellow-producers by this method, 

 in exchange for similar information from their experience, is, however, 

 one of the most important factors in the production of new knowledge, 

 and is to be sharply distinguished from "unproductive" distribution 

 to the public. 



The informational middleman. — We have seen that the public 

 as a whole cannot have access to the original sources, either in person 

 or by mail. This kind of situation has been met in the commercial 

 world since time immemorial through the aid of the middleman, — 

 broker, commission merchant, wholesaler, retailer. Most of these 

 agencies perform a useful service, which must be paid for, as organizers 

 of cooperative distribution frequently find to their cost. Although 

 the distribution of information is not as elaborately organized, its 

 agencies are quite analogous to those used in commerce. Two types 

 are to be distinguished, however: first, those which distribute infor- 

 mation freely or at a nominal fee; and, second, those which distribute 

 it for profit. 



To the first class belong the information offices of the larger govern- 

 mental bureaus, standing between the investigator and the public. 

 A particularly efTective example of this type is constituted by the 

 "demonstration agents" of the Department of Agriculture and the 

 State agricultural colleges. In 1919, 1200 "county agents" in the 

 northern and western states conducted over 90,000 demonstrations 

 reaching 1 million people, besides distributing information person- 

 ally to individuals in various other ways. Other examples of the 

 philanthropic type are the Research Information Service of the Na- 

 tional Research Council, which aims to bring investigators into touch 

 with each other; and the informational staffs of our public libraries. 

 In the second class, those operated for profit, the agencies dis- 

 tribut'ng commercial and financial infoimation are much further 

 advanced in organization than those concerned w4th the physical 

 and natural sciences. Babson's financial and investment service 

 is a type in the field of economics. The corresponding function for 

 chemistry, physics, geology, and related sciences is usually still 

 handled as a part of the work of the consulting engineer, although 

 in certain establishments like that of Arthur D. Little, Inc., this 

 part of the work is given an important position and dignified with 

 offices and records of its own. It is also a growing custom for manu- 

 facturers to employ representatives in Washington to keep them in 

 touch with the Federal bureaus. 



