Message to the Congress Recommending an Appropriation for the International Geological Congress.

Note: Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson's report, dated January 17, 1931, follows:
The President:

The geological groups in the United States have extended an invitation to the International Geological Congress to hold its sixteenth session in the United States in June 1932.

International Geological Congresses have been held throughout the civilized countries of the world since 1878 at three or four year intervals, except during the period of the Great War. The United States has been host to but one of these congresses, the fifth, held in Washington, D.C., in 1891. Sweden was host to the Congress in 1910, Canada was host in 1913, and the Union of South Africa was the host to the Congress held in 1929.

One of the best ways to bring about the advance of scientific knowledge in a given field, including the better understanding of the discoveries, their relations and values in that field, is through congresses and organizations of this character, in which scientists are brought together for deliberation and discussion.

These congresses are attended by the leading educators in research and applied geology, and the leading practicing geologists and geological engineers of the civilized countries. The technical sessions are devoted to the discussion of topics of world-wide interest in geology, and the excursions are devoted to direct examinations of the most significant geologic features that are displayed in the host country. Each of the recent congresses has adopted, as a major topic for discussion, one or more of the most important of the world's mineral resources, and, as a consequence, the proceedings of that congress contain an authoritative resume of the existing information on those resources; these proceedings thus become compendia of information on the selected topics for years to come. The eleventh congress, held in Sweden in 1910, issued a volume on the Iron Ore Resources of the World; the twelfth congress, held in Canada in 1913, issued a volume on the Coal Resources of the World; and the fifteenth congress, held last year in South Africa, will issue a volume on the Gold Resources of the World. The major topic adopted for the sixteenth congress in 1932 is the Petroleum Resources of the World, and in conformity with the practice of other governments it is proposed that this Congress issue a technical report of the congress and a scientific volume on the Petroleum Resources of the World. The information, when compiled, should be of great value.

At the request of the Secretary of the Interior, I therefore have the honor to recommend that the Congress be asked to enact legislation authorizing an appropriation of $110,000 for the expenses of the sixteenth session of the International Geological Congress to be held in the United States in 1932.
Respectfully,
HENRY L. STIMSON