COPYRIGHT, 1923 BY THE ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA CORPORATION COMPOSITION, ELECTROTYPING, PRESSWORK, BINDING BY J. B. LYON COMPANY, ALBANY, NEW YORK FOREWORD In this, the first issue of THE AMERICANA ANNUAL, it is important to state clearly its organization, scope and fundamental purposes. Arranged alphabetically, after the manner of the ordinary works of reference, it is intended to be a concise and independent encyclopedia of current events for the use of editors, educators, librarians executives, and, in fact, for everyone who would keep abreast of world progress, who wants to know the real significance of the events of the past year and who desires a ready source of dependable information on recent developments of lasting importance. Used with an encyclopedia for the historic background, it brings such a work fully down to date. In dealing with a multitude of subjects the ANNUAL aims at comprehensiveness rather than highly specialized treatments, intelligible only to the expert. In the period covered by it aeronautics, art, medicine and surgery, wireless telephony, and almost every branch of science and industry have made enormous strides. These advances have been faithfully chronicled. Among the outstanding features of this issue to mention only a few are the articles dealing with Agriculture in the United States, Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, Astronomy, Cancer and Its Control, Chemistry, Co-operative Movement, European Debts and America's settlement with Great Britain, Hydroelectric Development, Horticulture, International Peace and Arbitration, Medicine and Surgery, Merchant Marine of the United States, Meteorology, Progress in Education, National Debts of the World, events in the Near East, Painting and Sculpture, Physics, Radio Telephony and Telegraphy, the Reparations question, the Washington, Lausanne and other conferences, and World International Trade. The articles on the various countries and States show the progress of each in agriculture, industry, commerce, politics, government, sociology, finance, etc., while, as regards the United States, Canada and Mexico there are comprehensive reviews of all the activities of these nations. The great resources of the world — petroleum, cotton, iron, copper, sugar, etc., will be found adequately treated from the American and international viewpoints. Over one hundred contributors co-operated in the preparation of the ANNUAL and to each the Editor desires to make appreciative acknowledgment. He desires also to express his thanks to the university and college presidents, and the many public officials Federal and State - who courteously furnished statistical and other data. Ast. M. Dhumalch |