The  present  is  an  era  of  combination.  This  is  shown  by 
the  number  of  societies  and  organizations  that  have  been 
formed  throughout  the  country,  local,  state,  territorial,  scien- 
tific, national,  international.  They  are  as  numerous  as  the 
phases  of  human  thought  and  action.  Through  them  there 
has  been  an  awakening  of  public  sentiment.  It  is  a significant 
and  very  hopeful  sign  that  so  many  organizations  in  the 
United  States  have  for  their  object  the  promotion  of  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  nation. 
(Tf  these  movements  perhaps  the  one  with  the  widest  scope 
is  that  for  the  conservation  of  the  natural  resources  of  the 
nation.  The  initial  stage  of  this  movement  reached  its  culmin- 
ation in  the  Conference  of  the  Governors,  held  at  the  White 
House  last  May.  Since  then  a new  phase  of  the  subject  has 
developed ; the  period  of  education  has  given  place  to  that  of 
accomplishment. 
Of  the  associations  which  have  to  do  with  practical  phases 
of  conservation  none  is  more  influential  than  the  National 
Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress.  This  association  has  for  many 
years  stood  for  the  policy  which  is  now  represented  by  the 
Section  of  Waters  in  the  National  Conservation  Commission, 
the  successor  of  the  Inland  Waterways  Commission.  At  the 
time  of  the  meeting  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  in 
Washington  last  December,  there  was  organized  the  Woman’s 
National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  to  give  the  women  of 
the  United  States  an  opportunity  to  help  the  men  in  this  great 
work.  Both  organizations  stand  for  a policy  and  not  a project. 
There  are  many  local  associations  looking  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  Missouri,  the  Mississippi  and  other  rivers.  The 
idea  on  which  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congresses  is 
based  is  to  have  a comprehensive  plan  laid  out  by  experts 
and  then  to  work  to  have  money  appropriated  for  the  carry- 
ing out  of  this  plan  as  a whole  in  a regular  and  systematic 
manner. 
Mrs.  Knudsen  was  present  in  Washington  at  the  opening 
of  the  Federal  Congress,  at  a time  when  many  national  or- 
ganizations hold  their  annual  meetings  there.  It  is  an  inspira- 
tion to  meet  the  men  with  whom  one  comes  in  contact  at 
these  gatherings,  and  in  the  numerous  social  functions  that 
accompany  the  regular  meetings. 
As  Mrs.  Knudsen  has  pointed  out  Hawaii  is  very  deeply 
interested  in  the  matter  of  harbors  and  the  development  of 
natural  resources.  I may  say  in  passing  that  Hawaii  played 
no  insignificant  part  in  the  meetings  held  in  Washington  last 
December.  Mr.  Newell  who,  of  course,  was  prominent,  feels 
almost  that  he  is  one  of  us.  Indeed,  at  one  of  the  conferences 
he  registered  from  Hawaii.  In  the  Woman’s  National  Rivers 
and  Harbors  Congress,  I may  safely  say  that  Mrs.  Knudsen, 
the  representative  from  Hawaii,  took  a prominent  and  interest- 
