SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



MATTERS OP SCIENTIFIC INTEREST IN CONGRESS' 



Mr. Fess has re-introduced his bill for a national university, which 

 failed of final action in the Sixty-fifth Congress. ^ The present bill 

 is H. R. 9353: "To create a national university at the seat of the 

 Federal Government." The institution, to be known as the "National 

 University of the United States," is to be governed by a board of trus- 

 tees, consisting of the U. S. Commissioner of Education and twelve 

 appointed members; the acts of the board are subject to approval by 

 an advisory council, consisting of one representative (usually the presi- 

 dent of the State University) from each State. No student is to be 

 admitted unless he shall have obtained the degree of master of science 

 or master of arts from an institution of recognized standing. No 

 academic degrees are to be conferred. An initial appropriation of 

 $500,000 is provided. The bill was referred to the Committee on Edu- 

 cation. 



A fact of interest to the scientific public is that the "Army reorganiza- 

 tion bill" (S. 2715, Mr. Wads worth; and H. R. 8287, Mr. Kahn) 

 makes no mention of the Chemical Warfare Service. In his letter 

 accompanying the bill, Secretary of War Baker suggests that the 

 Chemical Warfare Service be made a part of the Engineer Corps. The 

 proposal to abolish the Service as a distinct unit, comparable with the 

 Tank Corps, is being vigorously opposed by the Council of the Amer- 

 ican Chemical Society. 



Warnings issued by the Public Health Service in September that a 

 recurrence of the 191 8 pandemic of influenza was probable in the autumn 

 months of 1919, stirred renewed interest in the various bills and resolu- 

 tions providing for investigations of that disease, but no final action had 

 been taken at the time of this report, although Mr. Harding's S. J. 

 Res. '76 was reported in the Senate on October i. 



On September 3, Mr. McKellar introduced S. 2920: "To enable 

 the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out investigations of the causes 

 and means of prevention of fires and dust explosions in industrial plants." 

 The bill provides $100,000 for such investigations. Referred to the 

 Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. 



A plan for private development, under Federal concessions, of the 

 platinum resources of Alaska is contained in H. R. 8988: "To incor- 

 porate the United States Platinum Corporation and to aid in the de- 

 velopment of the mineral resources of Alaska, and for other purposes," 

 introduced on September 3 by Mr. O'Connell (by request). The 

 proposed Corporation would have a capital stock not to exceed $50,000,- 

 000; would be exempt from Federal taxation; would be empowered to 

 receive concessions and leases of government-owned platinum sands 

 in Alaska; would pay a royalty of one-eighth of its net products; and 

 would furnish $100,000 for the maintenance of five "U. S. Govern- 

 ment Commissioners of Platinum and its Allied Industries," whose 

 duties are not defined in the bill. Referred to the Committee on Pub- 

 lic Lands. 



1 Preceding report : This Journai, 9:454. 1919. 

 - See This Journal 8: 76. 191 8. 



