July 25, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



81 



hind such a device as this and that it is the 

 people of the country in the long run who 

 profit by the work of the investigator; and 

 that such work is worthy of more stable sup- 

 port than the chance generosity of some multi- 

 millionaire. From an economic standpoint 

 scientific research is a well-established busi- 

 ness, not the mere whim of a few individuals; 

 a business involving perhaps a long-term in- 

 vestment but which nevertheless is just as 

 worthy of support, and economically just as 

 important, as is the postoifice department or 

 the railroads, differing from these only in the 

 fact that these supply the present generation 

 while scientific research, like the public 

 schools, is for the next. 



Whether we shall see government support 

 of research in pure science depends, I believe, 

 only on whether the scientific societies of the 

 country, of which Sigma Xi is as representa- 

 tive and potentially as influential as any, can 

 agree upon and present to Congress a concrete 

 statement of the responsibilities of the federal 

 government in this matter as well as a work- 

 able plan for administering such support. In 

 a democratic country it seems impossible that 

 ever again should it be left to accidental phi- 

 lanthropy to provide funds " for building the 

 very foundations of economic and industrial 

 progress. 



Of the possibilities of making the influence 

 of Sigma Xi international, little need be said 

 except in amplification of the statement that 

 even now the matter is under informal con- 

 sideration and will probably come before the 

 society for formal action some time within 

 the next two years, in response to inquiries 

 from two foreign countries, England and 

 Norway. Tlie sentiment of the society, so far 

 as voiced, is in favor of such an extension, 

 and there seems to be nothing either in our 

 constitution or our traditions which prevents. 

 May we not look forward therefore with much 

 hope to an international fraternity of scien- 

 tific workers, the influence of which, even 

 though sentimental rather than scientific, will 

 serve as one additional bond to tie together 

 that which we all hope to see some day: a 

 great family of nations. F. K. Eichtmyer 



Cornell TJniversitt 



ZOOLOGICAL AIMS AND 

 OPPORTUNITIES 



In its recent numbers Science has printed 

 two addresses made before the Baltimore meet- 

 ing of the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science last winter, both of 

 which deal with the same general subject; the 

 aims and purposes which in the present crit- 

 ical period of the world's history should guide 

 or influence zoological and botanical work, and 

 the opportunities offered and responsibilities 

 imposed by the present conditions on those 

 engaged in such work. 



Both of the addresses contain much that 

 is interesting and inspiring and make sug- 

 gestions that are well worth trying out, but 

 neither of the two speakers seems to have felt 

 it necessary to extend his survey of the field 

 beyond the two subjects of teaching and re- 

 search, though of course including under the 

 latter heading investigation for practical and 

 economic purposes as well as for the increase 

 of knowledge without immediate prospect of its 

 application. This limited conception of their 

 proper aims and obligations is unfortunately 

 held by a large proportion of scientific work- 

 ers, probably more often because it falls in 

 with their inclinations and convenience than 

 because of any conviction of its sufficiency; it 

 may have answered well enough in the earlier 

 stages of the development of science and may 

 still do so in some departments of it, but it is 

 now very far from sufficient in the case of 

 zoology, botany, ecology, forestry and other 

 allied branches. The rapid economic expan- 

 sion of the present time is making demands 

 on natural resources to an extent that was 

 never before approached, and improved and 

 quicker means of transportation are extend- 

 ing the resulting destructive effects to every 

 part of the world. Only prompt and scien- 

 tifically directed effort can save from com- 

 plete and permanent destruction and disap- 

 pearance a large part, and perhaps much of 

 the most interesting part, of the subject mat- 

 ter with which these sciences deal. It is only 

 those with more or less scientific knowledge of 

 animals and plants who can see in advance the 

 need of protective or remedial measures and 



