REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL. II 



The growth in these scientific congresses is indicative of the scientific 

 progress and the increasing mutual good will of the Republics of the 

 Western Hemisphere. Eight hundred and sixty-eight papers were pre- 

 sented to the Second Pan American Scientific Congress, the total mem- 

 bership of which was 2,566. The Reseiia General of the First Pan Ameri- 

 can Scientific Congress contains the following statistics for the four 

 anterior congresses : 



Member- 

 ship. 



Papers 

 presented. 



First Latin American Scientific Congress . . . 

 Second Latin American Scientific Congress. 

 Third Latin American Scientific Congress . . 

 Fourth Latin American Scientific Congress . 



552 



839 



863 



2,238 



121 

 302 

 120 

 742 



Immediately on the adjournment of the congress at Santiago de Chile, 

 which had selected the capital of the United States as the place of meeting 

 for the next congiess in 19 12, the provisional committee of the United 

 States, appointed by the scientific congress, endeavored to secure an 

 appropriation from the Congress of the United States necessary to the 

 work of organization, and rendered further such services as could be 

 performed in anticipation of this appropriation. The members of this 

 provisional committee were: 



Leo S. Rowe, Head Professor of Political Science, University of 

 Pennsylvania. 



John Barrett, Director General of the Pan American Union. 



P. P. Claxton, the Commissioner of Education of the United States. 



William H. Holmes,' Head Curator National Museum, Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



George W. Rommel, Chief Animal Husbandry Division, Bureau of 

 Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture. 

 Through no lack of interest on the part of its members nor failure on 

 the part of the Government or people of the Umted States to realize 

 fully the importance of holding the Second Pan American Scientific 

 Congress at the tmie designated and approved by a resolution of the 

 preceding congress, the provisional committee was unable to perfect 

 plans for 1912. Many insurmountable difficulties confronted this com- 

 mittee and it became necessary to postpone the inauguration of the 

 congress from 191 2 to 1914. The following circular letter from the 

 honorable Secretary of State was sent, under date of May 23, 1911, to 

 the diplot^tic representatives of the United States accredited to the 

 Latin American countries: 



