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NATHAN 381 NATIONAL CIVIC FEDERATION briand's "The Natchez." They resided in the W. part of Mississippi, near the banks of the Mississippi river. NATHAN, GEORGE JEAN, Ameri- can dramatic critic, born in Fort Wayne, Ind., Feb. 15, 1882. Graduated at Cor- nell in 1904. Member of "N. Y. Herald" staff 1904-1906. Dramatic critic and as- sistant editor of "The Bohemian," 1906- 1908. Contributed articles on the drama to "Harper's Weekly," 1908-1910, and to the "Associated Sunday Magazines," 1909-1914. Dramatic editor of "The Smart Set" since 1908, and has been editor since 1914. Author of "Another Book on the Theater" (1916) ; "Bot- toms Up" (1917) ; "Mr. George Jean Nathan Presents" (1917); "A Book Without a Title" (1918) ; "Comedians AH" (1919). NATICK, a town of Massachusetts, in Middlesex co. It includes several vil- lages. It is on the Charles river and on the Boston and Albany railroad. It has several important educational institu- tions, including the Walnut Hill School for young women. It has the Morse In- stitute, which includes a public library and reading room; the Morse Hospital, and the Bacon Public Library. There are parks, a soldiers' monument, and a monument to the memory of John Eliot. The industries include the manufacture of boots, shoes, shirts, clothing, base- balls, boxes, saws, etc. Natick was founded by John Eliot in 1651, and was incorporated in 1781. Pop. (1910) 9,866; (1920) 10,907. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN. See Academy of Design, National. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. A society formed in 1863 for investigation of scientific subjects and for the promotion of scientific re- search in America. Members must be citizens of the United States. Two meet- ings are held annually; one, the spring meeting, is always held in Washington, the other meeting in the autumn may be held anywhere. In 1914 President Wil- son requested the society to appoint a member to investigate conditions on the Pribilof Islands for the purpose of sug- gesting means for the preservation of the fur-seal herd there. The same year the society awarded a gold medal to Gen- eral Goethals and General Gorgas for their work in the building of the Panama canal. By virtue of a fund given to the society two or three lectures are given at the semi-annual meetings by distin- guished scientists from the United States and foreign countries. The United States Government has frequently called upon the society to undertake special fields of scientific research at the Government's expense. The society has about 150 members and about 50 foreign associ- ates. NATIONAL ASS'EMBLY, the legis- lative assembly in France. When the no- bility and clergy summoned with the Tiers Etat to the States-General declined to sit with the Commons, these declar- ing, on June 17, 1789, that they repre- sented 96/100 parts of the nation, as- sumed the name of the National Assem- bly, though the name Constituent As- sembly is more frequently employed. NATIONAL BANKS. See BANKS IN THE United States. NATIONAL CEMETERIES, the name given to establishments, instituted by Act of Congress, for the inte^-ment of United States soldiers who have tallen in battle, and whose graves become, accordingly, a sacred National charge. These graves are distributed in 84 special, or "Na- tional," cemeteries. The names of over 175,000 (more than one-half) of the dead have been preserved and attached to the graves. Of the whole number, less than one-fifth now repose in their original graves. NATIONAL CIVIC FEDERATION, an organization formed in 1902 by prom- inent representatives of capital, labor, and the general public. Its purpose is to organize the best intellectual forces of the Nation in an educational movement, for the purpose of seeking a solution of some of the great problems relating to social and industrial progress. The work of the^ Federation is carried on through various agencies or departments, the most important of which are the Industrial Conciliation Department, dealing with strikes and other labor troubles; the In- dustrial Economics Department; the Welfare Department; the Women's De- partment; the Department of Compensa- tion for Industrial Accidents and their Prevention; the Social Insurance Depart- ment; the Department of Regulation of Combinations and Trusts; the Depart- ment of Regulation of Interstate and Municipal Utilities; and the Pure Food and Drugs Department. During the World War the Federation carried on important work through its various agencies and, following the war, in 1919 and 1920, it was especially active in spreading propaganda against Bol- shevism. In 1919 a commission was sent to France and Italy for the purpose of studying industrial conditions in those countries. The Federation also took an active part in behalf of the League of Vol. VI— Cyc— Y