The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-12-20
UNITED STATES MAY HAVE TO HOLD THE
 BAG IF THE REST OF WORLD GOES TO FORT

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 NEW YORK-There has been a lot of loose talk about civilization breaking down" in the event of an- ether war.
 But seriously, have you ever thought about what would happen if war did break out again or civil ization DID break down?
 Some people have. q. iN o~
 And the trend of their specula tiCns is that America might render it's greatest service yet to the world by serving as a storehouse for the art, the culture and the science of a world gone mad.
 One of these thinkers is Dr. Leslie c. Dunn, professor of zoology at Columbia University. Writing in The Independent Journal" a pub lication of Columbia graduate that a consignment of unusual rats valuable in scientific work was sent him recently by a colleague in England. The colleague wrote:
 Our laboratory is situated near the big railroad termini which will be among the first targets for raid ing airplanes and we would like to be sure that some of the most important of our scientific materials are out of harms way.
 Perhaps we ought to consider the establishment of a permanent repository for the stocks of ani- mals on which we depend for ad- vancing our knowledge of heredi- ty If SC it would almost certainly have to be set up in the United Stat es."
 U. s. May Be Haven
 A year ago, said Dr. Dunn, a con- signment of mice was received from England under similar circumstance eS.
 These are rather dramatic re- minders," he commented, "of the tenuous nature of our boasted con- tinuity of scientific progress.
 Scientists have carried coopera- tion to great lengths in maintaining special plants Gndian corn for in- stance), and insects (including the vinegar fly) for study.
 Perhaps it will be necessary, ? Dr. Dunn added, ito establish cen- tral haven for the threatened stocks Of scientifically useful animals and plants from all nations. Perhaps it should be as far as possible from a seacoast and remote from the dang CT of air attacks. Perhaps it should be near that hole in the ground in Kentucky where we keep our spare gold'
 Speaking of gold, most people know that quantities of the precious metal are sent here on the occasion of each fresh scare in Europe But it isn't. gold alone among the earth s treasures that have been sent to these shores.
 Art Being Shipped
 Recently Albert K. Schneider, a New York art dealer, returned to America with a collection of eight eenth century portraits and land- scapes and made this comment
 Tt is indicative of the general uneasiness in Europe that I was able to obtain them at all The fam lilies had held on to them for gen. erationS, and most of them had never been exhibited before. But now they feel that the portraits of their ancestors will be safer on the American side of the water.
 We are hearing about the dis tinguished foreign intellectuals and great scientists who are coming to the United States as refugees. We are fortunate in having some dis tinguished refugees in paintings as we'll"
 When announcement was made that Dr. Eduard Benes, as an exile from Czechoslovakia, was to lec- ture at the University of Chicago, editorials commented that in this age as in the dark ages it might be the university which would play a great part in carrying on the tra- ditions of civilization.