32 Federation of American Biological Societies 



secretaries, who have served the Fed. Nevertheless, it is the Fed. 

 that gave them the opportunity to direct their energies into these 

 really productive Channels. They have earned and no doubt re- 

 ceive the füllest appreciation of the members of the Fed., and by 

 the same token, we may justly expect equal devotion from the future 

 secretaries. 



In the matter of program, the success of the Fed. has been 

 equally great, although perhaps not as complete. The Cooperation 

 of the secretaries, which is made possible by the Fed., has resulted 

 in a more evenly balanced program and in a more logical distribution 

 of papers, both as to subject and time, The society that has too 

 many papers can transfer some of these to the societies with smaller 

 numbers. The members of any one society are given the oppor- 

 tunity of hearing papers presented before any other society; and a 

 worker in any special subject has the privilege of presenting his 

 data before the society most interested, regardless of his individual 

 membership. This condition lessens the need of belonging to the 

 several societies, a matter of financial importance to some of the 

 members. The societies themselves gain by this natural limitation 

 of their membership to those who are continuously interested in 

 their special subject. 



On the other band, the fact that a member of one of the societies 

 is, in a sense, a member of all the societies of the Fed., makes it 

 doubly important that every society shall use due care in admitting 

 new members ; and in maintaining its membership above reproach. 

 Incalculable härm must come to American science if the member- 

 ship of its scientific societies is abused for commercial advertising 

 purposes. 



In one respect the Fed. has failed to accomplish all that was 

 hoped from it, namely, in relieving the pressure of papers. For the 

 first year or so there did, indeed, appear to be a noticeable measure 

 of relief ; and the beneficial practice of Joint sessions could be main- 

 tained. It could have been foreseen, however, and doubtless was 

 foreseen, that this relief would be only temporary. In fact, any 

 measure can give only temporary relief whilst American science is 

 growing. Permanent relief could be given only by restricting the 

 Output of American research; and no one has any doubt as to which 



