390 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
An International Auxiliary Language.— Report of Committee 
appointed to inquire into the Practicability of an International 
Auatliary Language (Dr. H. Forster Moriey, Chairman; Dr. 
K. H.:Trrep,_ Secretary; Mr: E. Butuoueu, Professor J. J. 
Finpuay, Sir RicHarp Grecory, Mr. W. B. Harpy,! F.RB.S., 
Dr. C. W. Kivuins, Sir E. Cooper Prerry, Prof. W. Ripman, 
Mr. Noweut Suiru, and Mr. A. E. Twentymay). 
I. Introduction. 
Among the many problems bequeathed to us by the war, that of placing inter- 
national relations upon a more stable basis is admittedly of outstanding importance. 
We now realise far better than we did how closely interwoven are the interests of all 
civilised nations and communities, and how one nation’s ignorance of another’s 
character may lead to the direst consequences. Hence, mutual intelligibility as the 
condition precedent of mutual understanding and concord must be cultivated more 
intensively than hitherto ; for nations, like individuals, learn to bear and forbear, as 
well as to progress, in proportion as their knowledge grows and their horizon widens. 
It is a truism that modern science has revolutionised the material conditions of our 
existence, and that, in particular, the development of means of inter-communication— 
railway, steamship, telegraph—has added to the amenities of life ; but, unfortunately, 
‘ opportunities for strife have increased almost pari passu, and what is now required 
is some means of attaining greater mutual knowledge as an insurance against future 
conflicts and misunderstandings. Experimental science has forged the wheels of 
civilised life; can humanistic science provide a lubricant to make them run more 
smoothly ? 
In the opinion of many, a practicable means of increasing such mutual knowledge, 
and at the same time of effecting great economies in time, work, and money, would 
be the adoption of an auxiliary language as a means of international communication— 
auxiliary because, unlike the fantastic ideal of a ‘ universal’ language, it would not 
be intended to replace existing national languages for domestic use. An international 
auxiliary language, it is felt, should above all be easily acquired; it should be 
sufficiently precise and flexible for all ordinary purposes; and, if possible, it should 
be neutral from the standpoint of nationality. The practicability of its adoption 
would depend largely upon the fulfilment of these requirements, and its realisation 
mainly upon the recognition by the peoples of its desirability. Although many 
attempts have been made to solve the problem during the past two hundred years, 
and particularly in the last thirty, the fact that in no instance has success been 
generally recognised should constitute no barrier to its renewed investigation. As 
has been indicated above, the present time seems particularly opportune to revive 
the question, and even if the result be negative, it should at any rate save the time of 
future inquirers. 
The resuscitation of this problem in official and academic circles was due primarily 
to the initiative of the United States’ representatives at the meeting of the Inter- 
national Research Council which was held in Brussels in August, 1919. On that 
occasion the question was raised of instituting an international abstract journal of 
chemical literature, but no agreement could be reached concerning the language or 
languages in which such a journal should be published ; and out of this there arose 
a fundamental discussion of the whole problem of an international language. In the — 
end the following resolutions were adopted unanimously :— 
(a) That the Internationait Research Council appoint a committee to investigate 
and report to it the present status and possible outlook of the general 
problem of an international auxiliary language. 
(6) That the committee be authorised to co-operate in its studies with other 
organisations engayed in the same work, provided that nothing in these 
resolutions shall be interpreted as giving the committee any authority to 
commit the Council to adhesion to or approval of any particulaf project. 
i Mr. Hardy was chairman of the Committee until May; 1921; when he tetired 
owing to pressure of work. 
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