Evening star., 1939-09-12
By JOHN J. DAILY,


Three distinct theories Of why the
continents of Europe and America
are separated were advanced yester-
day in a discussion Of ocean basins.
led by DR.. R. NJ Field, professor of
geology at Princeton, before the
Commission of Continental and
Oceanic Structure of the Interna-
tional Union of Geodesy and
Geophysics, meeting at George
Washington University.
First, it was stated that Europe
and America floated apart long,
long ago.
Second that the fundamental
structure connecting the two con-
tinents under water is made up
practically of the same material;
which denotes that the area now
occupied by the Atlantic Ocean was
once a part of the two territories
before the land sank.
Third, that the land which is the
bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, once
above water, did not sink all at
once, but was pushed up and down
gradually by waves of pressure
through the underlying crust.
Middle Of Ocean Shallowest.
To prove this latter theory, dis
cussed at the outset of the meeting
by the outstanding structural geol-
ogist of Princeton University, Prof.
w. T. Thorn, it was pointed out that
the deepest part of the Atlantic
Ocean is Immediately off the Amer
ican coast and that the shallowest
part is directly in mid-ocean, called
the Middle Atlantic Ridge. probably
the location of the Lost Atlantis; if
ever there was such a place.
Immediately these three theories
were advanced, representatives OF
many branches of physical science
astronmy. geodesy and geophys-
ics-and launched the heaviest dis
cussion of earth material and its
mysterious manifestations heard in
the lecture halls of George Wash
ington University for many a day.
The four giants of the scientific
world who carried the brunt Of the
arguments were Prof. Thorn, DR.. F.
v. Meinesz of the Netherlands, who
is president of the Association OF
Geodesy; DR.. B. Gutenberg, geol-
ogist of the California Institute Of
Technology, and DR.. H. Jeffreys, a
fellow of the Royal Society and pro-
fessor of St. Johns College, Cam
bridge, England.
profound discussions ran until late
afternoon, with noted scientists
from many nations taking part.
The realm of higher mathematics
was invaded, and even the stars
brought into play, with undersea
measurements banded about and
contradictions rampant.
Cooperative Need Stressed.
However, all ended in friendship,
even though the scientists disagreed
on many points. Out of it may
come great advancement in world
knowledge-for it was agreed that
in the future the astronmers, the
geodesists and the geophysicists,
who have previously worked some
what apart, must get closer together
if mankind is to be benefited. All
who took part in yesterdays dis
cussion were invited to make writ
ten reports of their various findings
and these will be published by the
International Union.
DIR. r. M. Field, chairman of the
commission, declared afterward that
his branch of science, geology, was
in need of information held in es-
crow by the astronomers and the
geodesists-men who make their
measurements of the earth from
far-separated vantage points.
DR.. Field set off the debate by de-
claring that while some geolo-
gists will dissent, probably the great
majority of structural students
would agree that a gliding of the
crust over the subcrust of the earth
must in some manner occur in order
to produce known major deforma-
tional features such as islahd-ar
lineal mountain ranges featured by
notable thrust-faults, and the like.
The best chance to determine how
this gliding occurs, and has oc-
CURED, lies in oceanic explorations.
Some Parts Thus Explored.
It happens that DR.. Meinesz has
spent several years in an especially
fitted submarine that piled the bot
tom of the Atlantic Ocean, and part
of the Pacific, in search for just
such material. These two scientists
agreed that scientific exploration Of
sub-oceanic areas may reasonably
be regarded as the most important
enterprise in which students Of
continental structure can be in
terested at the present time.
Because the regions to be ex-
plored are so large" DR.. Field said
"and because the difnculties to be
overcome will make necessary so
much special equipment, many men
and many agencies with special
capacities will be needed in this ex-
ploration."