February, '21] business proceedings 17 



Dr. Howard's report is as follows: 



On February 14th, last, you wrote me, in your capacity as Chairman of the Com- 

 mittee on Policy of the American Association of Economic Entomologists, formally 

 transmitting through me to European Entomologists the greetings of the A. A. E. E. 

 and the adherence of the Committee on Policy to the proposal that there should be 

 formed an European association of Economic Entomologists. 



My report on this matter has been delayed from a misunderstanding, since it first 

 appeared to me that I was to make a report direct to the Association. I see now 

 that I should report to your Committee. 



I endeavored to fulfill my commission in a satisfactory way and talked with a 

 number of prominent economic entomologists during my visit abroad in England, 

 France, Italy and Brussels. All of the men consulted were inclined to think that, 

 while the idea might seem feasible enough to men in the United States, and that 

 while theoretically it would be a very good scheme, there are nevertheless so many 

 practical obstacles that the idea cannot be considered at the present time. 



The initial difficulty is the one of language. Each country, moreover, has to a 

 great extent its own problems. The financial condition of Europe at present is such 

 as to be extremely unfavorable towards any international institution which requires 

 the paj'ment of dues. Moreover, the allies wish to have nothing to do with the 

 Germanic countries. The exchange of publications between the different countries 

 is already very intimate, and there seems to be no necessity whatever for the founding 

 of an organ of publication like the Journ.'^l of Economic Entomology. 



Other lesser matters were brought out in the course of my conferences, such as the 

 striking disagreement between the two schools of economic entomologists in Italy, 

 and other more or less temporary matters which interfere at present but which may 

 not last for many years. The French entomologists are already on terms of intimate 

 cooperation with the Italian men, but desire closer cooperation with the Imperial 

 Bureau of Entomology of Great Britain. 



The general opinion, however, was unanimous, and I myself agree with the sound- 

 ness of the general conclusion. I recommend that the Committee wait for a more 

 favorable time when the suggestion may be renewed. 



Federal Appropriations 



In the last week of February members of the Committee took part in a conference 

 in Washington relative to Federal appropriations for the work of the Bureau of 

 Entomology and of the Federal Horticultural Board. The chairman of the committee 

 appeared before the Committee on Agriculture of the United States Senate, which 

 had before it the agricultural appropriation bill. The measure as passed by the 

 House provided inadequate appropriations for important investigations and control 

 measures and no appropriation at all for the European Corn Borer. The senate 

 committee later increased these items and provided the sum of $500,000 for the 

 European Corn Borer. 



The bill then went to Conference Committee. The chairman of the Committee 

 on Policy, on invitation from certain members of Congress, again went to Washing- 

 ton the first week in April and discussed appropriation matters with members of the 

 Conference Committee. 



The appropriations for these several activities as finally passed provided larger 

 sums than originally allowed by the House, but smaller sums than inserted by the 

 Senate. 



Cooperation with the National Research Council 



By vote of the Association at the St. Louis meeting, the proposal of the National 

 Research Council, urging our Association to cooperate with the Council, was referred 

 to the Committee on Policy, with power to act. 



The Committee on Policy met at Albany, N. Y., April 19, with the following mem- 

 bers present: Messrs. Parrott, Felt, Sanders, Burgess and O'Kane. At this 

 meeting Mr. Parrott, representing our Association on the National Research Council, 



