A NEW SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL 



American Journal of Physical Anthropology to be Established in Near Future 

 Dr. Ales Hrdlicka of National Museum Is Editor and Founder — Scope 

 Will Include Every Phase of Modern Physical Anthropology 



IN THE history of the development 

 of every branch of science there 

 comes a time when the estabUsh- 

 ment of a medium of pubhcation 

 devoted to that particular branch of 

 research is essential to its full develop- 

 ment. It is a peculiar and regrettable 

 circumstance that physical anthropol- 

 ogy has remained thvis far without ade- 

 quate facilities of publication and with- 

 out a journal of its own in this countrj^ 

 the richest in the world in the subject- 

 matter of that science. Notwithstand- 

 ing the fact that most European coun- 

 tries, including even Portugal and 

 Switzerland, have each from one to 

 three journals devoted exclusively or 

 largely to physical anthropology, and 

 that some of these have been published 

 continuously for more than half a cen- 

 tury, no effort has yet been made on 

 the American continent toward the 

 establishment of such a periodical. 

 It is true that we have the American 

 Anthropologist, but that journal is de- 

 voted to anthropology in its broadest 

 sense, and its pages are practically pre- 

 empted by the more popular branches. 



It is urgently demanded that these 

 conditions be remedied and that a 

 journal devoted to the interests of 

 physical anthropology be established. 

 The time is ripe and the opportunities 

 for development are unsurpassed. The 

 war has now involved this country as 

 it involves practically the whole white 

 race, and the unprecedented condi- 

 tions that have arisen in consequence 

 bring forth a legion of new anhro- 

 pological problems, as well as excep- 

 tional opportunities for research. 



The proposal to establish a period- 

 ical devoted exclusively to physical 

 anthropology has been presented suc- 

 cess! vel}^ to the Subcommittee on An- 

 thropology of the American Association 

 for the Advancement of vScience, the 

 Committee of One Hundred on Re- 

 search of the same organization, the 

 American Anthropological Association, 

 the Smithsonian Institution, and the 

 Committee on Anthropology of the 



National Research Council, by all of 

 which it has received unqualified ap- 

 proval. 



More than mere approval, however, 

 • is required. Enerj^etic promotion is 

 demanded and financial considerations 

 insist on presenting themselves. The 

 establishment of a scientific journal 

 that cannot expect a large circulation 

 calls for means by which the periodical 

 may be supported for a period of years 

 or until its income from subscriptions 

 equals the expense of publication. Care- 

 ful estimates indicate that aid to the 

 extent of $1,000 a year for three years 

 would insure the publication beyond 

 question ; and it is proposed to make an 

 especial appeal for this support, an 

 appeal which must be largely to indi- 

 viduals, since institutions generally find 

 their rules and regulations a serious 

 obstacle to the devotion of funds to the 

 promotion of a periodical not issued 

 under their direct auspices. 



Thus so much for the reasons which 

 have actuated the founder. Dr. Ales 

 Hrdlicka, Curator of Anthropology of 

 the National Museum, in undertaking 

 at this critical period, the publication 

 of the American Journal of Physical 

 Anthropology, and for its first needs. 

 Application to his colleagues for edi- 

 torial assistance has met with the most 

 encouraging response, and there is sub- 

 stantial hope that adequate aid will be 

 given by devotees of the subject 

 toward developing the Journal and 

 making it of substantial scientific and 

 public utility. 



The Journal will probably appear in 

 April and will include research and 

 special articles on man's origin, devel- 

 opment, variation and present status, 

 everything of anthropological interest 

 connected with the war; descriptions of 

 American collections, their field work, 

 installation and exhibits; the objects, 

 history and methods of anthropometry 

 in general ; reviews and bibliography 

 and anthropological news and notice^ 

 of current interest. 



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