8 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



stake is as evident to the investigator as to the statesman, to the 

 publicist, or to the soldier; and it is unnecessary to explain that 

 the reactions of the members of the Institution to the changed 

 world environment are not less normal than those of contem- 

 poraries in other walks of life. Biological continuity asserts 

 itself here as well as elsewhere and affords no new ground for the 

 vagaries of occultism with which the Institution is frequently 

 invested in popular fancies. As a matter of fact, and of printed 

 though hitherto unpubhshed record, at the first meeting of the 

 Executive Committee of the Institution held after the formal 

 entrance of the United States into the pending conflict, namely, 

 April 19, 1917, the following self-explanatory resolutions were 

 unanimously adopted: 



"Resolved, That, in view of the existing national emergency, the President 

 of the Carnegie Institution of Washington be and hereby is authorized to 

 tender to the United States Government the services of associates and mem- 

 bers of departmental and divisional staffs of the Institution for such duties as 

 they may be severally best qualified to perform ; and that, similarly, the depart- 

 mental organizations of the Institution, together with personnel, equipment, 

 and laboratory facilities, be offered to the Government for such special work 

 as may be appropriately performed by them in the interests of national de- 

 fense. 



"Resolved, That, upon request from the United States Government or any 

 of its authorized agents for such special service or work, the President be and 

 hereby is authorized to comply therewith, so far as practicable, with the under- 

 standing that associates and members, during periods of detail to the service 

 of the Government, shall be granted leaves of absence from the Institution 

 with full pay, deductions therefrom being made in each case to the amount of 

 compensation, if any, which may be received from the Government. 



'Resolved, That the President, in his discretion, be and hereby is authorized, 

 in the case of any associate or member of the Institution who enlists in the 

 service of the Government, to give assurances of the maintenance of the status 

 in the Institution of such associate or member and of a continuance of com- 

 pensation not exceeding the rate of salary received from the Institution at the 

 time of entrance into the service of the Government." 



Copies of these resolutions were promptly transmitted to the 

 President of the United States and as promptly acknowledged, 

 and they have served as a working basis whereby a majority of 

 the experts and a large share of the income of the Institution 

 have been turned to account in response to requests from the 

 Government. 



The time for pubhcation of a history of the activities thus 

 enhsted and of the numerous and varied services thus rendered 



