REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 107 



practically balanced, and it is apparent that had not these unex- 

 pected conditions arisen the whole enterprise would have been self- 

 sustaining. Before war began many changes were contemplated to 

 improve the service rendered by the catalogue and bring it more 

 nearly to the high standard set by the original brilliantly conceived 

 plan which so many of the world's leading men of science had taken 

 part in formulating and which was referred to in some detail in the 

 last annual report of this bureau. 



There is and has been no question of the need and value of an 

 International Catalogue of Scientific Literature, and it is the opinion 

 of almost everyone interested in such matters that no better plan has 

 ever been presented to accomplish the ends sought. Any new en- 

 terprise would lack the greatest present asset of the catalogue, which 

 is the official support of most of the civilized nations, and it is with 

 this support practically assured for the future that the catalogue 

 will start in its endeavor to gain the financial assistance necessary 

 to compensate for losses caused by the late war. 



New agencies, such as abstract journals representing all branches 

 of science, are to be undertaken by other organizations, and it is 

 through cooperation with these that the catalogue is to be produced 

 in the future, thus meeting all requirements of scientific workers as 

 well as those of reference libraries and of those engaged in general 

 investigation. 



From the attitude of the foreign delegates at the conference it is 

 apparent that there exists no lack of interest or desire to continue 

 the work, but all of these countries are now under unprecedented 

 financial strain, which is greatly increased by abnormal rates of ex- 

 change, so for the present, at least, their aid must be less than it 

 would be during normal times. There is in this country a growing 

 interest in supplying the needs of scientific workers, and plans are 

 under way to publish abstract journals in all branches of science not 

 already represented. These plans were brought to the notice of the 

 conference by the American delegates, representing the National 

 Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council, and by a repre- 

 sentative of the Rockefeller Foundation, who was present. From 

 statements there made it appears that the money needed to establish 

 these enterprises is available and the resolutions of the conference 

 took into account cooperation with these new organizations for the 

 common benefit of the publishing bodies and of scientific investi- 

 gators. 



Very respectfully, yours, 



Leonard C. Gunnell, 



Assistant in Charge. 



Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 



Secretaiy, Smithsonian Institution. 



