May 3, 1918] 



SCIENCE 



443 



Pio. 1. 



fluence on the internal properties of the atom 

 and is solely a mass effect. All the intra- 

 atomic characteristics, both chemical and 

 physical, are dependent on details of atomic 

 structure, on subatomic structural isomerism, 

 •which requires much further elucidation. 

 There is nothing improbable about this view. 

 Yet Piccard's suggestion by no means re- 

 quires it. Until this further consequence of 

 the theory of isotopes is experimentally veri- 

 fied Piccard's hypothetical acti no-uranium 

 will serve just as well if we assume its atomic 

 weight to be 239 or 241 and thus avoid this 

 theoretical elaboration. 



Gerald L. Wendt 

 The ITnitzbsity or Chicago 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 



THE ADVANCEMENT OF 



SCIENCE 



MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE ON POLICY 



The committee met at the Cosmos Club, 

 Washington, at 5.35 P.sf., Monday, April 22, 

 1918, with Mr. Nichols in the chair and Messrs. 

 Noyes, Woodward, Himiphreys, Cattell, Ward 

 and Howard also present. The minutes of the 

 meeting of December 30, 1917, were read and 

 approved. The permanent secretary reported 

 concerning the present condition of the mem- 

 bership and a brief discussion followed on gen- 

 eral conditions. 



The election of Mr. John Barrett as a feUow 

 and as vice-president of Section I was con- 



