GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS IN BELGIUM 
51 
The fears of a'large and long growing body of reactionaries that 
something new may appear in print will not be calmly counten¬ 
anced: Interinstitutional jealousies will not be encouraged. In¬ 
creasing bigotry "on the part of those who have text-books to 
defend, or hold public bureaus holy will be given scant con¬ 
sideration. These are some of the negative influences which are 
to find active resistance. There will be strong counterirritants to 
such atrophic tendencies. Ours is not a science ex cathedra. 
On the other hand, positive encouragement will be ever lent 
to wholesome speculative discussion, constructive criticism, and 
creative productivity. The global aspects of geologic record will 
come in for large attention. 
First After-War Congres Geologique International in 
Belgium 
t 
In the reconstruction days following the World War, the great¬ 
est contest at arms of all time, it is hardly to be expected that 
students of earth sciences should be the last to find themsel\^s. 
They are the first. In this respect they take precedence over the 
involved governments themselves. Without abandoning their indi¬ 
vidual patriotism they dull the points of their differences and 
sink their prejudices in a true brotherhood of man. Were their 
function only political a League of Nations would stand forth 
that would begin instanter to carry peace on earth and good will 
toward men down the avenue of the ages. ; 
That the first after-war Congres geologique international should 
be called to meet in little, war-ridden, but lion-hearted Belgium, 
that one state of all the world, whose safety was guaranteed by the 
Powers, is most appropriate. Delegates to the new Congress enter 
upon their duties without selfish interests to maintain, with no 
international jealousies to guard, and with catholicity of sympa¬ 
thies that nowhere has equal. World questions are alone to be 
discussed. Problems of less than global scope are to be left 
mainly to the nations having jurisdiction. The results can only 
portend good; good that may easily pass beyond the bounds of 
geology. 
The last, or Twelfth, triennial conclave of geologists met in 
Canada, in 1913. The Brussels gathering next summer comes on 
time; but two regular sessions slipped by because of the interna- 
