1913] Editoriais 139 



tigative method and the viewpoint of data and the breadth of inter- 

 est of those who represent widely different subjects, which however 

 all deal with a common living matter — are these sufficiently devel- 

 oped today to hold such an Organization together? The native, 

 inherent correlations of these subjects and their irresistible move- 

 ment towards ultimate quantitative physical and chemical method 

 must come home at times to every investigator in these fields. If 

 the biological subjects shall be held together by one comprehensive 

 Organization the bond of union w^ill have to be more effective than 

 that which is represented by our greatest example of combination, 

 the A.A.A.S. Why has the Amer. Chem. Soc'y, our model for the 

 proposed biological society, grown up aside from and after the 

 complete Organization of the A.A.A.S.? Are the divisions of 

 biology as now pursued naturally articulated so that the analogy 

 with chemistry holds or would they be conglomerate units so as to 

 be analogous to the A.A.A.S. ? The probably correct opinion is that 

 biology as a whole today occupies a middle position in this respect. 

 In the last analysis it is probably largely a question of whether 

 leadership, Cooperation and the practical conduct of such an Organ- 

 ization can stimulate and maintain the interest of its constituents. 



The publication of Journals is no doubt an important feature of 

 the proposed biological society. A plan for this purpose should be 

 worked out to details without which its feasibility cannot be de- 

 termined. Perhaps this could be best done after the society had 

 been organized. It seems to me unwise to base the argument for 

 this new society so largely on the Journal feature, as this alone or as 

 a principal consideration would not suffice to hold it together. The 

 subject of Journals having aroused much responsive interest, the 

 new society should carefully consider the Utility and the financial 

 aspects of this part of the proposition. 



Howard S. Reed, Virginia Agric. Expt. Station. I am not in 

 favor of the Mathews plan for an Organization of biological soci- 

 eties, because I do not think it would bring about the desired results. 

 It is true that we have many societies, but it is equally true that the 

 societies have been organized and developed to meet definite ends. 

 This is an age of increasing specialization, and individual men can- 

 not begin to cover the field of the biological societies today. Ten 



