the most stimulating thinkers in its councils, and in him Mr. Pinchot found one of his most loyal supporters and friends. Doctor McGee was the personification of strength and steadfastness in the pioneer period of Conservation, when the meaning of the word was unknown to the multitude, and when the mere suggestion that our natural resources are not inexhaustible but may be depleted to the vanishing point by wasteful use was regarded as a wild heresy. During the preceding sessions of this Congress he was its accepted authority on problems involving that most widespread and universally distributed of our natural resources-water. He has dealt with this resource from the points of view of transportation, of irrigation, and of power, and from the standpoint of biology in which it is recognized as fundamental in all life.

Doctor McGee's mind was of the type of the intellectual pioneer, intensely individual and original. He was masterful in the alignment of facts and stimulating in the recognition and boldness of his expression of the generalizations and far-reaching conclusions to which his marshalled facts pointed. Like most men of brilliant imagination, he was at times impatient of the slow processes of research, or let us say rather that his impatience was with that timidity in reaching conclusions so often displayed by those engaged in research, rather than with the process itself. He believed that the scientist's practical rule of life should be the acceptance, as a basis of action, of the conclusions indicated by such facts as are known, even though those conclusions may not at present be definitely established.

Doctor McGee's death at the Cosmos Club on September 4, 1912, removed from the domain of science and from the forum of public discussion one of its leading personalities. His career embraced an unusually wide range of activities and in each of these he attained distinction. As a geologist he was one of the group assembled by Major Powell during the formative period of the United States Geological Survey, a group which made American geology classic and its leaders world-leaders in their science. In this field McGee's name is associated with the names of Powell, Dutton, Gilbert, Holmes, Emmons, and Hague. Later, with the establishment of the Bureau of Ethnology, into which he followed Major Powell, he became a pioneer in ethnological research, although retaining continually his interest in geologic and geographic problems. At the time of his death and for a few years prior thereto he was the erosion and hydrologic expert of the Department of Agriculture, his immediate connection with that department being through the Bureau of Soils. His last years are distinguished by a number of papers on the subject of Conservation, in which he was so vitally interested; these articles are broad in their scope, thoroughly original and stimulating in their expression, and point out fearlessly some dangers of present practice and suggest methods of remedy. But a few days before his death he completed

the correction of the galley proofs of the last of his papers, faithful to his work and to his duty even while descending into the Valley of the Shadow.

This very brief sketch would not be complete without expressed recognition of the fact that Doctor McGee's attitude in the face of death was in accordance with the best traditions of the science to which his life had been devoted and was as admirable and as deeply stirring and stimulating as any act of his career. For a year or more he had recognized the fact that he was afflicted with cancer and that his days were numbered. He faced this fact calmly and prepared patiently for the inevitable by carefully completing all work on hand and by disposing by will of his body and his brain to his friend and fellow scientist, Dr. Spitska, to be used in the way most likely to be beneficial to humanity. So long as his faculties remained undimmed, he maintained the same keen interest in scientific questions and current affairs that had marked his career at its height. Those of his friends who visited him during the last few weeks of his life heard not a single complaint nor an expression of regret, but found themselves chatting easily with an old and honored friend who gave no indication of the fact that he knew definitely that has career was soon to be stayed by the hand of Death. Thus, rising superior to the weakened, pain-racked body, he met with philosophic calm and sublime courage the final inevitable test. It is not given to man to do more than this.

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES.

All the standing committees were represented at the Fourth National Conservation Congress and made reports. Members of these committees also addressed the Congress.

Forests: See paper by Prof. Henry S. Graves, Chairman, page 318; also addresses of Mr. E. T. Allen and Major E. G. Griggs, pages 312 and 183, respectively.

Lands: Prof. L. H. Bailey, being unavoidably prevented from attending the Congress, the report of the Lands Committee was presented by Dr. George E. Condra, page 123. See also address of Mr. Charles S. Barrett, page 132.

Waters: Owing to the death of Dr. W J McGee, Chairman, the report of this committee was submitted by Dr. W. C. Mendenhall. See page 335.

Minerals: See address of Dr. Joseph A. Holmes, Chairman, page 200. Vital Resources: See address of Mr. A. B. Farquhar, page 214. Food: See address of Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, Chairman, page 75. Also see paper by Mr. F. G. Urner, page 327.

Homes: See address of Mrs. Matthew T. Scott, President-General, Daughters of the American Revolution, page 250. Also report by Mrs. Orville T. Bright, of Chicago, Vice-President of the National Congress of Mothers, page 196.

Child Life: See address and report of the Hon. Ben B. Lindsey, Chairman, page 170.

Education: See report of Dr. C. E. Bessey, Chairman, page 66; see also address of Prof. E. T. Fairchild, page 134.

Civics: See address of Mr. Ralph M. Easley, Chairman, page 272. National Parks: The report of this committee was submitted in writing, signed by Dr. W J McGee, Chairman, and Col. Malcolm H. Crump. See page 182.

General (including Wild Life): Dr. W. T. Hornaday, Chairman, presented the report of this committee. See page 344. Dr. T. Gilbert Pearson gave an address on "Bird Slaughter and the Cost of Living." See page 72.