Evening star., 1939-09-15
War 10 Strengthen
Scientific Forces
In fhe Americas
Geodesy Session
Reveals Many Sovonts
To Avoid Europe
BY JOHN J. DAILY.

Pan-America will be the happy
hunting ground of scientists, accord
ing to information obtained at the
close OF the seventh general assembly
OF the International Union of Geod-
esy and Geophysics. The sessions
ended at George Washington Uni
versity today.
Scientists from % nations of the
world gathered here the past 10
days and went over problems affect
ing the earth's surface, the lower
atmosphere and the outer regions OF
air. Some of them, from nations
now at war. decided at the last hour
yesterday they would remain on the
Western Hemisphere.
What Europe and its individual
states loses in this way will be the
gain Of the Americas.
Cooperation Needed.
When war breaks out on any point
OF the globe, certain countries
through unfortunate circumstances
may be temporarily handicapped in
scientific cooperation. The only
way In which the great scientists of
the world can carry on their investi-
cations in through international CO.
operation. At the closing meeting,
with this in mind, resolutions were
passed fostering the friendship of
the Pan-American Union with the
International Union of Geodesy and
GeophySics towards the consolida-
ton of scientific investigation for the
immediate future with the countries
OF the Western Hemisphere
While delegates to the assembly
would not discuss political events, or
political implications, their inter-
ests being chiefly in science that
knows no political barriers nor any
differentiation among races or re-
llglons 1t was noted that their desire
to unite the nations of the Western
Hemisphere in the Investigations of
fundamental problems of the earth
and its atmosphere took on unusual
significance.
From the Aleutian Islands, con-
tinuing down through Central and
South America, lies one of the most
remarkable zones of volcanic and
seismic activity, now in the focus
of the attention of geophysists. To
this region the scientists that gath
cred here will turn their attention.
Sees Gain for America.
DR.. Richard M. Field, president of
the American Geophysical Union,
said at the close of yesterdays meet
ing that Europe's loss is Americas
gain.
For instance, one of the greatest
mathematicians in Germany, DR..
Carl Bartels, has decided to make
an indefinite stay in America-to
study the problems brought forward
at the technical sessions just con-
cluded.
1t was brought out at yesterdays
meeting that these men are loyal
citizens of their respective countries,
but they feel that their work will
be cramped with war conditions as
they are. Therefore, many of them
have decided to remain on this side
of the Atlantic Ocean for an in
definite period
Before departing from Washing
ton, DR.. Field said
"The program of this seventh as
sembly in Washington has con-
cerned itself chiefly with those
fundamental aspects of the sciences
of the earth dealing with the prob
lens of the earth's crust, its oceans
and its atmosphere that cannot be
solved except by the cooperation
of many nations to whom are in
trusted various territories of the
globe"
This is the reason why scientists
are going to emphasize the CO.
operation in the Western Hemi-
sphere during disturbed conditions
in Europe.