52 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 



Similarly, geology has again demonstrated its practical 

 value in locating water for domestic and industrial uses, 

 and stone, gravel, and sand, for building of roads, rail- 

 roads, and other structures. A state like Illinois, about to 

 invest |60, 000,000 in the beginning of a hard-road system, 

 should first locate and investigate the materials which are 

 available close to the selected routes. Furthermore, a state 

 about to build a great waterway, should know the location 

 and usefulness of the heavy, slow-moving mineral wealth 

 in the adjacent territory which will help furnish profit- 

 able cargoes. 



Again, we have seen in connection with minerals for war 

 industries, the value of statistics of mineral production, of 

 lists of producers, and of geological investigation of possi- 

 ble new sources of supply, in advance of acute need. Thus, 

 in Illinois, we owe it to the nation, as well as ourselves, to 

 collect accurate statistics, to complete an inventory of our 

 enormous mineral wealth, and to encourage new or im- 

 proved methods for its production, conservation, and wise 

 utilization. 



But while some of us, who needed no demonstration, 

 have seen the justification of practical geography and 

 geology, we have been dismayed to find, even in high 

 places, that there was little, if any, advance appreciation 

 of the military, industrial, and social significance of these 

 sciences. They had been considered purely cultural and 

 academic! No conception of their importance existed in 

 the academies at West Point or Annapolis, in the intelli- 

 gence service, or in the early organization of the boards 

 for war industries, war trade, and fuel control. Repre- 

 sentatives of the professions were repeatedly refused the 

 chance to serve the country with their special talents, and 

 finally gained the opportunity only by personal persistence, 

 and in many cases without recognition of their profession. 

 One cannot blame others for this condition, and I do not 

 wish to criticize those who were doubtless following to the 

 best of their ability the lines indicated by past education 

 and experience. It is our fault that these subjects have 

 almost disappeared from the high schools, and have never 

 been so perfected as to be appreciated by engineers and by 

 the general public. 



