302 International Congresses 



Chemistry, all organized in 1919; Scientific Radio Union, Union of Pirre and Ap- 

 plied Physics, Union of Biological Sciences, and Union of Geography, organized in 

 1922, and in 1925 after provisional meetings earlier; Union of Crystallography, 

 Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, and Union of History of Science, 

 added in 1947 after preHminary meetings in 1947." ^^ 



An International Union of Mathematics organized in 1922, was discontinued in 

 1932; it is planned to reestablish it (in 1952?). It is also planned to establish an 

 International Union of Physiology (in 1952?). Applications for the organization of 

 new unions must be passed upon by the executive board of ICSU. The present 

 tendency of ICSU is to restrict the number of unions and to organize joint commis- 

 sions covering a larger field. For example the History of Science has been amal- 

 gamated with the Philosophy of Science. 



All this concerns the administration of science rather than research itself, but 

 the hne is not always easy to draw and it is clear that the future development of 

 science will imply collective efforts of greater and greater complexity, and that 

 means more and more administration. This is very sad, yet unavoidable, and we 

 must make the best of it. There will be a growing body of administrators, or of 

 men whose points of view are administrative rather than purely scientific or indi- 

 vidual, yet there will always be room for men of initiative and of genius. 



To return to our main subject, the international congresses, their organization 

 will be regulated more and more (if only for financial reasons) by the ICSU, through 

 whose intermediary the necessary subsidies may be obtained. 



The historian of science is not concerned with the organization of international 

 congresses but with their publications which provide convenient syntheses of this or 

 that discipline at regular intervals. However, it may be worth his while to know 

 how the international congresses are organized and managed; the ICSU or any 

 special scientific union, or their committees in his own nation will give him all the 

 information which he may need at any time. Americans may obtain information 

 from the National Research Council, Division of International Relations, Washington, 

 D. C. 



Unesco has recently published a Directory of International Scientific Organiza- 

 tions (238 p., Paris, May 1950). 



129 This statement is taken from the memorandum prepared on 19 December 1949 by the 

 Committee on International Scientific Unions (chairman. Dr. John A. Fleming) of the U. S. 

 National Research Council. Additional information kindly provided by Dr. Fleming in a 

 private letter (Washington, D. C, 17 Jan. 1951). 



