56 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1933 



science unrepresented, all of which came within the scope of the 

 International Catalogue, 



This is the situation today for current literature, and unless reor- 

 ganization of the International Catalogue can be accomplished, it ia 

 hard to imagine what the future condition will be unless today's 

 records are all indexed and classified in some uniform and available 

 form. 



The World War stopped the publication of the catalogue, yet the 

 backbone of the undertaking, namely, international cooperation of 

 numerous self-supporting classifying bureaus, is still available. This 

 indispensable contribution is worth several hundred thousand dollars 

 a year. 



The situation is now far simpler than it was when the organization 

 was founded in 1900, for then no precedent existed for such an inter- 

 national cooperative enterprise. Now, the successful publication of 

 238 volumes aggregating some 140,000 pages of the International 

 Catalogue is substantial and convincing proof that the original plan 

 was feasible. War and disorganized international conditions alone 

 were responsible for the necessity of suspending publication. 



It would be difficult to find an object more worthy of endowment 

 than this unique, international cooperative organization, when worth- 

 while projects are being considered by individuals or foundations 

 desiring to aid the advance of knowledge and the welfare of mankind. 



It is believed that abeyance of the great service formerly rendered 

 by the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature is temporary 

 only and that the work can eventually be resumed when the universal 

 upheaval now convulsing world affairs has somewhat subsided. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Leonard C. Gunnell, 



Assistant in Charge. 



Dr. C. G. Abbot, 



Secretary, Smithsonian Institution. 



