252 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLV. No. 1159 



ized or not, without regard to whether or 

 not it can advantageously be linked up 

 with other sites on the same or neighbor- 

 ing streams, or without regard to where 

 transmission lines go. This means the fu- 

 ture non-utilization of a great deal of 

 energy that will be sorely needed. The 

 other is the systematic plan, by which all 

 these things are worked out in detail. This 

 means the ultimate utilization of most of 

 the available water power, and this can be 

 secured only by the assistance of the state 

 through legislative enactment. As all 

 with experience know, this is so difficult 

 that it is well-nigh hopeless. Likewise, con- 

 servation of forests, fuel supply and pos- 

 sibly the soil, need to be encouraged by 

 legislative enactment. In part or all of 

 these, depending upon the scope of his 

 duties as defined by statute, the state 

 geologist is expected to take the initia- 

 tive, by deliberately calling the atten- 

 tion of those charged with administrative 

 and legislative affairs to those resources 

 which the state can aid in conserving. 



THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT 



The object of most legislators in sup- 

 porting geological surveys is to develop the 

 natural resources; that is, to increase the 

 wealth of the state. "We have no fault to 

 find with this attitude, and we willingly 

 exert our energies to that end; but geolog- 

 ical work, whether for economic or scien- 

 tific purposes, requires the strictly scien- 

 tific spirit as its impelling force, without 

 which no results can be relied upon. For 

 this reason we must ask the public to in- 

 dulge us if, occasionally, a bulletin ap- 

 pears that does not seem to have economic 

 importance. Such may in the end prove 

 to be of the greatest economic value. The 

 state geologist should be a man who can 

 make his work practical, but he should at 

 the same time be a scientist with irresist- 



ible inclinations toward the purely scien- 

 tific problems that confront him. Only 

 such a geologist can effectually serve a 

 state. 



A. H. Purdue 

 State Geological Survey, 

 Nashville, Tenn. 



STANFORD MEETING OF THE PACIFIC 

 DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN ASSO- 

 CIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- 

 MENT OF SCIENCE 



The second annual meeting of the Pacific 

 Division of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science will be held at Leland 

 Stanford Junior University during the period, 

 April 4 to 7. 



General Sessions. — Among the general ses- 

 sions of the division on this occasion will be 

 the address of the retiring president of the 

 division. Dr. J. C. Branner, president emeritus 

 of Leland Stanford Junior University, on the 

 evening of Thursday, April 5. Dr. P. J. E. 

 Woodbridge, professor of philosophy at Colum- 

 bia University and lecturer in philosophy on 

 the Mills Poundation at the University of 

 California this spring, will present an address 

 on Friday evening, April 6, on the subject, 

 " History and Evolution." This address will 

 be followed by a general reception on the 

 part of the university to the visiting members 

 of the American Association and of affiliated 

 societies. 



On Thursday afternoon, April 5, a sympo- 

 sium will be held upon the general subject, 

 " Coordination and Cooperation in Research 

 and in Applications of Science," under the 

 direction of Dr. D. T. MacDougal, director of 

 the Desert Laboratory of the Carnegie Insti- 

 tution of Washington, at Tucson. Among the 

 speakers at this symposium will be Dr. William 

 E. Ritter, director of the Scripps Institution 

 for Biological Research, at La Jolla, who will 

 present a paper on " Closer Organization of 

 Scientific Men of the World." 



Meetings of Societies. — The following an- 

 nouncements are made concerning the meet- 

 ings of societies participating in this occasion. 



On Saturday evening, April Y, a dinner will 



