Januaby 31, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



113 



tific societies and the scientific men of the 

 Pacific Coast. A beginning has been made in 

 the establishment of local branches and to- 

 ward the affiliation of state and city acad- 

 emies. 



At the Baltimore meeting of tlie associa- 

 tion the committee on organization and mem- 

 bership, with the retiring president, Professor 

 Jolm M. Coulter, of the University of Chicago, 

 as chairman, was instructed to take up these 

 problems, and in the first instance more 

 especially in the Central States, in view of the 

 fact that the next two meetings will be held 

 in St. Louis and Chicago. 



Consideration should be given by men of 

 science in the Central States to the desir- 

 ability of forming a division to promote sci- 

 entific work and scientific organization in that 

 region. The association meets once in four 

 years, successively in Xew York, Chicago and 

 Washington. These are sijecial convocation 

 week meetings in which it is hoped that the 

 scientific men and organizations of the whole 

 country will take part, including those con- 

 cerned with engineering, medicine, education, 

 etc., and those devoted to the languages, his- 

 tory, economics, etc. 



At the intervening two-year periods, the 

 association will hold its meetings in large 

 cities and these will also be large meetings. 

 At the intervening alternate years the associa- 

 tion plans to meet in smaller cities and uni- 

 versity towns, and many of the affiliated so- 

 cieties will hold tlieir meetings separately. 

 It might be desirable on these alternate years 

 to hold regional rather than national meet- 

 ings, or it might be well for other divisions 

 to follow the plan of the Pacific Division and 

 hold meetings at some other time, as at Easter, 

 at Thanksgiving or in the summer. 



Apart from the formation of a Central 

 Division the relations of the scientific acad- 

 emies and societies of the Central States to 

 the national association deserve careful con- 

 sideration. The American Medical Associa- 

 tion is organized on the basis of state and 

 county associations; the American Chemical 

 Societj' has well-organized local branches; the 



National Education Association is at present 

 considering similar plans. 

 . The duplication of existing organizations 

 should be avoided and the question arises 

 whether the American Association could not 

 enter into mutually helpful relations with the 

 academies of science which are now doing use- 

 ful work in the Central States and in some 

 of the cities. The association is ready and 

 anxious to arrange an afiiliation which will 

 leave the academy absolutely free and uncon- 

 trolled by it, but will allow the representation 

 of the academy on the council which directs 

 its activities and should be the body most 

 influential in the organization, advancement 

 and diifusion of science in America. 



If all members of an affiliated academy be- 

 come members of the association, part of the 

 association membership fee of three dollars is 

 returned to the academy for its expenses. 

 Thus for $2.50 or $2.00 the member has the 

 privileges — membership in the national asso- 

 ciation and subscription to the national 

 weekly scientific journal — which in England 

 cost $15. It is, however, not necessary for 

 members of the local academy to become mem- 

 bers of the association. 



After an affiliation has been effected be- 

 tween the American Association, the national 

 scientific societies and the state and city 

 academies, it will be possible to coordinate 

 vath these the societies and clubs which exist 

 in smaller centers and to established them 

 where they are needed. An organization of this 

 character is strictly scientific and democratic. 

 The association has no control over the affil- 

 iated societies and academies, but becomes in 

 effect an association of these societies, en- 

 abling them to cooperate in all directions 

 where imion is desirable. 



The time is now particularly auspicious for 

 scientific men to unite to obtain increased op- 

 portunities for their work. It is realized by 

 all that science and the scientific men of the 

 countrj- were leading factors in bringing the 

 war to a quick and favorable conclusion. 

 The applications of science have enabled the 

 country to amass the immense wealth which 



