The use of geology on the western front

Before the end of the war nearly all active American geologists were engaged in work directly or indirectly connected with military problems. The many fields of activity opened to geologists by the emergency iricluded service with troops, administration of war activities, national economics, relief work, military education, and, above all, applied geology. The success achieved by the American geologist in such strongly contrasting duties bears testimony to his broad interests and wide experience and shows that he did his full part in the great struggle. This record also shows the educational value of geologic training, for it has made clear that such training develops the mentAl power necessary to success in new fields of endeavor. It is also true, as shown by the record, that while the geologj,st has the mental equipment and experience to render valuable service during war in many different capacities, yet his most important duties will be to determine the sources of minerals which the military situation renders especially necessary. This fact is here emphasized because it has been assumed by some that the application of geology to war is limited to the work done on the battlefield. As a matter of fact, the work in economic geology done on this side of tp.e Atlantic contributed more to the successful termination of the war than that of the geologists in France. The Germans, too, recognized this fact, for a large part of the geologists they called into military service were engaged in the investigation of mineral resources. Many geologists in both France and England were engaged in a similar service.