42 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL. 



appointment of the official delegates to represent these countries. Active 

 preparations for the congress to open December 27, 1915, however, were 

 immediately begun by the Department of State and the executive 

 committee of organization on the appointment of the secretary general 

 and the assistant secretary general in March, 1915. April 19, the hon- 

 orable Secretary of State sent the following communication to the 

 diplomatic representatives of the United States in the Latin American 

 countries: 



Department of State, 



Washington, April ip, 1915. 

 To the diplomatic officers of the United States accredited to Latin American 



countries. 



Gentlemen: You have received previous communications from the 

 department in re the Second Pan American Scientific Congress, which is 

 to be held under the auspices of the United States Government in 

 Washington, D. C, December 27, 19 15, to January 8, 1916. The first 

 congress, meeting in Santiago, Chile, in 1908, highly honored this Gov- 

 ernment by the generous and unsolicited act of designating Washington 

 as the meeting place of the next congress. It is desirable, therefore, 

 that the diplomatic representatives of the United States to the par- 

 ticipating foreign countries do all in their power to assist in making this 

 second congress what it promises to be — a great Pan American gathering — 

 where not only scientific matters of Pan American interest will be dis- 

 cussed by the leading scientists of these countries, but where, through 

 the character of the persons, societies, and institutions designated to 

 represent them, will be established more intimate relations on the basis 

 of a common interest in science, culture, and economic progress. 



The First Pan American Scientific Congress, in designating Washington 

 as the next place of meeting, appointed certain visiting delegates from 

 the United States members of the executive committee, charged with the 

 organization and procedure of the second congress. These gentlemen, 

 with certain others elected by them, constitute the executive com- 

 mittee of the Second Pan American Scientific Congress. The Hon. 

 William Phillips, Third Assistant Secretary of State, is chairman ex 

 officio of the executive committee. This executive committee, among 

 other duties, will appoint the honorary presidents and vice presidents, 

 who are to be selected from the participating countries. The Director 

 General of the Pan American Union, Mr. John Barrett, a member of 

 the executive committee, has accepted the post of secretary general 

 of the congress, and Dr. Glen Levin Swiggett, professor of romance 

 languages in the University of Tennessee, has been appointed assistant 



