NOVEMBEE 17, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



559 



close to the Coast, in the succeeding net of tri- 

 angles. 



The criterion then is whether the direetioDS 

 of the points m the neighborhood of the fault 

 have been measured within accumulated errors 

 of observation of the order of a second of are. 

 Apparently, for all stations which are close 

 to each other, though distributed on both sides 

 of the fault, any errors in the adopted posi- 

 tions of Mocho and Diablo would be systematic 

 in their effect upon relative displacements, af- 

 fecting all stations alike. 



In the summations of the changes at the 

 various stations in groups, the computed prob- 

 able error of a mean displacement is ±0.005", 

 or half a foot. Such precision is apparently 

 five times that of the yearly zenith telescope 

 results. 



In the astronomical observations, one foot on 

 the surface is closely equivalent to one one-hun- 

 dredth of a second in latitude. In geodetic tri- 

 angulation, one foot on the surface is equi- 

 valent to one second of are, in the direction of 

 a point forty miles distant. 



On these grounds we may eonelude that the 

 precise differential results of triangulation are 

 better tests for very small changes on the sur- 

 face than astronomical observations of an ab- 

 solute dharacter. 



R. H. TUCKEE 



Lick Observatory, 

 September 30, 1922 



CONSERVATION AND MODERN 

 LIFEi 



This is an age of high pressure living, of 

 seemingly increasing complexity. Our modern 

 civilization is making such insistent demands 

 upon us that unless we counter by equally 

 insistent measures of self-restraint we must be 

 overwhelmed. Am I drawing too dark a pic- 

 ture or using too strong words? Look into 

 your own experience and see if your success 

 has not been due, in part, at least, to your 

 resistance of certain tendencies and demands, 

 or your failure in some particular to your 

 inability or disinclination to combat some urge, 

 external or internal. It is true, of course, that 



1 Presidential address read before the Iowa 

 Conservation Association at the Charles City 

 meeting, July 13, 1922. 



our lives must be shaped by the culture in 

 which we live, but it is equally true that we 

 must do our share in shaping that culture. 

 Mere following the line of least resistance, 

 passive floating with the tide helps neither our 

 civilization, our fellows nor ourselves. 



This is an era of conservation. Its spirit is 

 in the air. We are coming to realize more and 

 more that we must consei-ve our resources if 

 we are to maintain a high place in the present 

 organization of the community. This state- 

 ment holds true whether we consider our mate- 

 rial resources or our immaterial assets, whether 

 we look to the preservation of our own status 

 or to the maintenance of society. It is with 

 this necessity in mind, then, that I venture to 

 call to your attention a few facts and princi- 

 ples upon which we may base our attitude 

 toward the broader aspects of conservation. 

 And because there is just as urgent need for 

 conserving the elements which shall minister to 

 our inner lives and experiences as there is for 

 guarding those resources of more material 

 nature I shall not confine myself strictly to those 

 pondera;ble and tangible features which are 

 usually grouped under the conservation move- 

 ment. 



Now whether we call ourselves conserva- 

 tionists or conservatives is just now of little 

 moment. We sihall find much in common in the 

 two teiins and the values they subserve. Do 

 not both of them imply the clinging to and the 

 preservation of all that is best in the heritage 

 which has been bequeathed us? And what a 

 rich heritage that has been! To what a wealth 

 of treasure have we become heirs, whether we 

 count our physical resources or those of spir- 

 itual natures and use. But with the conserva- 

 tive spirit there must also be mingled a real 

 progressivism. Conservatism easily becomes 

 reactionism, as progressivism is in danger of 

 becoming radicalism if they are not actuated 

 by a keen sense of balance. We find abundant 

 exemplification of these statements in present 

 day politics and in history, in the wastage of 

 natural resources or in their undue withholding 

 from proper use, in extreme tendencies in 

 social life and customs, whether it be a cling- 

 ing to the habits of the past or a hasty adop- 

 tion of the fads of the present. 



