638 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLI. No. 1061 



American Association could not extend its in- 

 fluence efficiently over this region, because of 

 the great extent of our country in longitude, 

 and especially in order that the general scien- 

 tific interests of the region should be united, 

 it was determined by Professor Bowman and 

 many of his colleagues in the universities and 

 colleges of the Pacific region, and by others 

 engaged in the applications of science, to 

 establish an association of the principal scien- 

 tific societies already existing in the Pacific 

 area. The organization was effected some five 

 years ago and the Pacific Association of Scien- 

 tific Societies has been leading a vigorous and 

 useful life. Annual meetings have been held 

 in some of the leading educational centers, 

 such as the University of California, Stanford 

 University and the University of Washington. 

 Two years ago the council of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science 

 adopted the policy of organizing divisions of 

 the American Association for the accommoda- 

 tion of those members who live at great dis- 

 tances from the chief centers of American 

 population. In harmony with this policy, a 

 Pacific Coast Committee was appointed to 

 organize a Pacific Division. There was at 

 once the question of the future of the Pacific 

 Association, whose functions were in most essen- 

 tials precisely those proposed for the Pacific 

 Division. The men and the societies that 

 were making a success of the Pacific Associa- 

 tion were identically the men and the soci- 

 eties that would be expected to make a 

 success of the Pacific Division of the Amer- 

 ican Association. Evidently there must be no 

 duplication. The only practicable solution re- 

 quired that the Pacific Association should give 

 up its identity and that the forces which were 

 active in the Pacific Association should be 

 active in the work of the Pacific Division. It 

 was evident that the Pacific Division offered 

 important advantages over the existing organi- 

 zation, in part from the resulting unification 

 of general scientific interests throughout 

 America. The problem was approached ia a 

 sympathetic and unselfish spirit by aU con- 

 cerned, especially by the officers and more 

 active members of the Pacific Association, and 

 by none more efficiently than by Secretary 

 Bowman. 



It has seemed to me that the Pacific Asso- 

 ciation of Scientific Societies, in giving up 

 its existence, should have the principal inci- 

 dents of its birth, activities and dissolution 

 recorded in this manner as a matter of histor- 

 ical interest. | 



It should be recognized by every one, it 

 seems to me, that the justification for moral 

 and financial support afforded to scientific in- 

 vestigation rests finally upon the availability 

 of the results for the welfare of mankind and 

 the general progress of civilization. It is 

 hoped that all men and women of the Pacific 

 region who are sincerely interested in scien- 

 tific research or in the spread of knowledge 

 amongst the people will feel entirely at home 

 in the Pacific Division of the American Asso- 

 ciation, for the encouragement of research and 

 the dissemination of knowledge are pre- 

 eminently, as every one knows, the functions 

 of the Association and of all its Divisions. 

 The sparsely populated condition of the Pacific 

 region, which includes all United States terri- 

 tory lying west of the Rocky Mountains, as 

 well as Mexico, British Columbia, Alaska and 

 the Islands of the Sea, wiU unavoidably place 

 a serious limitation upon the success of the 

 Pacific Division unless a very large percentage 

 of the scientists and friends of science in this 

 region subscribe to its membership roll and 

 join enthusiastically in promoting its plans. 

 The yielding of generous support would on the 

 contrary make success prompt and complete. 



W. W. Campbell, 

 President American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science 

 Mount Hamilton, Calipobnla, 

 April 14, 1915 



THE AMEBIC AN ASSOCIATION FOB TBE 



ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE 



MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE ON" POLICY 



Messrs. Nichols, Pickering, Woodward, 

 Cattell, Noyes, Humphreys, Pairchild, Paton 

 and Howard, of the conunittee, met informally 

 in the private dining-room of the Cosmos Club 

 on Monday, April 19, 1915, at Y p.m. After 

 dinner, the meeting was called to order by the 

 chairman, Mr. Nichols. 



