The Washington herald., 1921-06-21

SCIENTISTS ORGANIZE TO
PROTECT NATURAL REsoURcEs.
Reused to action by the appalling
waste Of national resources and the
impending exhaustion Of some Of
the most essential. three leading
scientific bodies OF the United
States have Joined in an organiza-
tion to make q systematic survey Of
the natural wealth of the United
States and 10 devise methods for its
economical utilization The three
organizations that have united in
this work are the National Academy
Of Sciences. the National Research
Council, and the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement Of
Science.
John c. Merriam. president Of the
Carnegie Institution OF Washington
and representative Of all three
scientific sponsoring organizations.
Is chairman OF the new organization
John M Clarke. director Of the
New York State Museum. and repre-
sentative OF the National Academy
of Sciences and the National Re-
search Council. IL vice chairman.
while Albert l. Barrows, Of the Ma
uonal Research Council. and willard
G. Van Name, OF the American Nu-
scum OF Natural History. are secre-
tsry and assistant secretary. re-
spectively. Other REPRESENTATIVE
Of the sponsoring organizations on
the executive committee are: Prom
the National Academy Of Science. ].
hcKeen Cstten, editor Of science:
from the National Research Council.
Vernon Kellogg. secretary Of the
council. E. c. McClung. director
Geological Laboratory of the Uni
Versity Of Pennsylvania, and DR..
Cattell: from the American Associa-
tion for the Advancement Of Science.
Henry S Graves. former chief L.
s. Forest Service. Isaiah Bowman,
director OF the American Geological
Society. Darlington Moore, prest-
dent Of the Biological Society. We.
Sheiford, professor OF zoology at the
University OF Illinois
Headquarters will be opened in
Washington and an active educa-
tional campaign will be started i'm
mediately through the press and
schools to awaken the people 20 the
need OF safeguarding their natural
endowment from spoiIation and eK-
haustion. One Of the aims Of the
executive committee on natural re-
sources will be to provide legisla-
tive bodies with accurate and time
~ oats as a guide to State and
Federal action.
But it is realized that something
more is required than merely fur
hlsning information 10 officials and
'he public. II is a moral as much
as mental problem and nothfna
Tess radical than a fundamental re-
generation OF national Character
will sufice. This can onlv be &C.
complished by beginning with tb.
children and training up a new zen
GRAFTON that will protect their own
Interests better than their father,
have.
The FIRST announcement OF III.
executive committee on Natural Re-
sources contains the following
significant paragraphs:
No part OF the world 4, NOR.
richly endowed by nature with an
that is necessary for the building
up Of a great nation than the
United States Of North America
and In no part of the world have
these natural resources heen used in
more vssteful and prodigsl man
ner. An immense nation has been
punt up, but at the expense OF a
much larger consumption and loss
OIL It's resources than was necessary,
sho We are now actually confronted
win the question as to how long
that which remains will avail 20
MAINTAIN U.S. There is nucn
thoughtless optimism in regard 70
this question. Our civilization ia an
dependent on power. light. heat.
metals. lumber and other material
supplies as IL is on the air we
breathe, and IL IL is to endure W.
must quickly recognise that the
utilization of these necessities must
be based on the greatest economy
compatible with effectiveness.
Reared in the midst Of national
abundance. the idea has become a
matter Of common expression that
when our present resources are
gone something else will BE- found
TO take their place or that because
we have not as yet suffered for the
want OF any Of them. the time will
never come when the nation will
suheT IN consequence OF our past
and present predigality. There is
no greater folly. For this very
cause the nation may be vitality
wounded. The natural wealth that
we have inherited from the past Is
far from inexhaustible, and for this
generation to pass away leaving a
depleted heritage for those to come.
with which to maintain and advance
the civilization that we have here
developed. would be a folly and q
grievous iniquity.
The men and women Of today
are so saturated with. and habitu-
ated to. the wasteful ideas OF the
past. ana so involved in the extrsv-
sesnt methods Of our present eco
nomic life. that II is only through
the education OF the coming gen
Grafton that the best result can be
hoped for. Farseeing ideas must be
given to them while they are stili
in the susceptible stage OF mental
development; they must be led 20
think more than we DO Of the fu-
ture OF the nation and TO under
stand the dannar ~ .arrifrI1r that