This book made available by the Internet Archive.

Dr. Abbot. Mr. Chairman, the work of the Institution is going on, I think, very favorably. The investigations which have been carried on in the last year I think have been uncommonly fruitful.

We have with us Dr. Roberts, who has just recently returned from a very imjiortant archaeolog-ical work in northern Colorado, wliich we shall speak of a little later when we come to the Bureau of American Ethnology.

AVe have work going on in the observatories of the Institution in Chile, in Egypt, and in southern California, which seems to be very successful and promising.

I have recently made a study of the result-s of this observatory work which indicate, I think, a real relationship to weather and to important changes in levels of lakes and rivers. I hope that will go on without interruption.

In general, we have been successful, I think, in the work of the Institution in the past year. It is called to my attention, however, with the economies of recent time, that the situation bears particularly hard on all of the members of the force in the lower grades. There has been no increase in their compensation since 1930 and notwithstanding the situation of the law in that respect. Then, in regard to the watch force and the char force, I think j^ou will recall, Mr. Chairman, that in former years we have repeatedly called attention to the fact that it is not possible to give the watch force the full amount of their leave and there has been recently some discontent among the watch and char force on account of the comparison of their situation with that of similar employees in other branches of the service. Dr. "Wetmore will speak to that, I am sure. But, with this introduction, perhaps we had better go on with the items.

SALARIES AND EXPENSES, SECRETARY'S OFFICE

Mr. WooDRUM. Your first item reads as follows:

For exi^enses of the general administrative oflSce, Smithsonian Institution^ comfX'nsation of necessary employees, traveling exiDenses, purchase of books and periodicals, supplies and equipment, and any other necessary exjjenses, $36,330.

Dr. Abbot. May I present the following justification:

This apr)n»priation provides for the salaries of employees concerned with the central administration of the several Government bui'eaus under the direction of tlie Smithsonian Institution and includes a small sura for miscellaneous office supplies and other i-outiit'e exi)enses connected with this work.

Tiie incr<'a.se for liJ.'iT is explained as follows:

(1) Total increase $4

The foregoing increase in appropriation was made to round out the appro-I»riation to even fl^ures.

Ml'. WoooHUM. The amount asked for 1937 is practically the same as it was f(;r tlie present fiscal yoai*.

Dr. Abbot. That is coi-rect. We have Mr. Dorsey here, who jxm--haps has something to add to (hat general statement.

Mr. Doksp:y. Tliat rei)reHents just tlie administrative expenses of the central office, the Secretary's office. Those are all salai'ie.s with the exception of about $1,400 sjient on niisccllaneous expenses.

Mr. AA'odnia'M. Tliciv' ai'c Ki positions?

Mr. Dorset. Yes, sir; there are no changes in that. We hoped to get a little increase in the force, but it was not included in the Budget.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES

Mr. WooDRFM. The next item is for international exchanges, as follows:

International exchanges: For the system of international exclianges between the United Staters and foreign countries, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institntirn. inchiding necessary employees, and purchase of necessary books and periodicals, and traveling expenses, $44,266.

Dr. Abbot. The following statement is presented for the record:

This appropriation provides for carrying on the exchange of governmental, scientific, and literary publications between the United States and foreign countries in accordance with the Convention of Brussels of March 1.5, 1886, to which the United States was a signatory, and under which the Smithsonian Institution acts as the agent for the United States Government. The publications received from foreign countries in excliange for United States Go.vernment publication.s are deposited in the Library of Congress.

The decreiise for 1937 is explained as follows:

(1) Total decrease $2

The foregoing decrease of $2 was made to bring the appropriation to even figures.

Mr. WooDRUM. The amount appropriated for 1936 was $44,262 and the estimate for the coming fiscal year is just about the same amount.

Mr. Dorset. There is a decrease of $2 there to round out the figures. They cut $2 off the api)ropriation.

The situation there, Mr. Chairman, is this: During the first 5 months of the current fiscal year, shii:>ments have increased nearly 40,000 pounds over the corresponding period of last year. For several j^ears heretofore, owing to the smallness of the appropriation and the amount of work that we had to do, we have had to suspend shipments toward the end of each year; that is, hold the material over until the new appropriations became available. But we managed to skin by the last year without suspending shipment, and I think we Avill be able to do the same this year.

TRANSPOETATION OF THINGS

Mr. Woodrum. Will you explain the item, " Transportation of things, $16,275"?

Mr. Dorset. That is for freight and postage. It is largely freight. We pay the cost of the freight on publications, largely publications of the Government that are sent to foreign governments in accordance with the treaty of 1886, to w^hich this country is a party, and for which the Institution is its agent for the transmission of these publications. Returns from them go into the Library of Congress.

That expenditure is largely for the freight on these shipments. We send annually through the exchange service normally about 600,000 pounds of printed matter. The service is more than mere freight. We get publications from various sources in this country b}^ correspondence that are wanted by foreign governments and municipalities. For instance, if the State Department receives a request for publications on some subject like traffic laws, municipal

traffic laws, and things of that sort, it refers such requests to the Institution. We make a collection of documents on the subject desired and send it to the foreign government making the request.

AMERICAX ETHNOLOGY

Mr. WoODRU^r. The next item is for American ethnology, as follows:

American ethnology: For continuing etluiological re.searclies among t!.e American Indians and the natives of Hawaii, tlie excavation and preservation of archeologic remains under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, including necessary employees, tlie preparation of manuscripts, drawings, and illustrations, the purchase of books and periodicals, and traveling expenses, $58,730.

Dr. Abbot. The following is presented in explanation of this activit}':

Expended, 1935 $56. 491

Appropriated. 1936 58,730

Estimate, 1937 58, 730

Increase or decrease, 1937 0

The work under this appropriation is concerned with investigations of the languages, customs, and history of the American Indians and the natives of Hawaii. It also provides for the study of archeology as related to these races ■ and for the preservation of archeological sites. The urgency of this work is indicated by the continuing disai)pearance of the few survivors of a considerable number of tribes as well as many older Indians who alone are familiar with the original customs and culture. With their death there will be lost forever all opportunity for acquiring knowledge of the languages and cultures of these native American groups. In addition, the looting of ancient village sites of extinct al)oiiginal peoples is pi'oceeding rapidly, and with them there is destroyed tlie story of our predecessors on this continent.

The estimate for 1937 carries no increase over the appropriation for 1936.

EEStTLT OF BESEABCH WORK IN AREA NEAR FORT COLLINS, COLO.

Mr. WooDRUM. The amount asked for the coming fiscal year is the same as your current appropriation. Do you wish to make a statement on this item ?

Dr. Abbot. Mr, Chairman, the Chief of American Ethnology is at the present time in Florida supervising some work down there in connection with other branches of the Government service. But he is represented by Dr. R,ol>erts, who has just recently returned from, I think, a most important archaeological investigation, one of the most important which has ever been made in this country. Dr. lioberts has some of the specimens collected here, and I am sure will appreciat<' an opportunity to tell you and to show you what has been found.

Mr. WooDRUM. Dr. Roberts, we will be glad to hear you at this time.

Dr. Robfrts. Tlie main interest and ini])()rtanco which attaches to the woik which we have been doing (his last sunnner out in north<'rn Colorado is due to the fact that we have there the oldest archaeological complex yet found in North America. It is one which carries back to a very early period, from the standpoint of lilt' or'cupatioii of this country. For the 'irsl time, we have a site

which gives clear indications that man was on this continent shortly after the close of the glacial period. How soon after he arrived, we are, as 3^et, unable to say.

The material which we find consists of a number of different kinds of stone implements; scrapers, knives, borers, and so forth, and projectile points characterized by a long channel on each face, a feature that is peculiar to the new world. No examples have been found outside of America.

We know that this is a relatively old cultural comi)lex because the materials are found in association with extinct species of animals. We find them with an extinct form of the bison. They have also been found with the mammoth, with the muskox, and other cold-climate types of animals.

Up until this past summer the association had simijly been one of ])oints along with bones of animals in deposits. While all indications were that the material belonged together there was still a question as to whether it could be actually considered contemporaneous, because the points, for example, were simply found lying alongside the bones. As a matter of fact, the indications were that they had been in the animal.

But until this last summer we had no definite proof.

Now, however, as a result of work which we did we do have actual proof of the contemporaneity between the points and the animals. In this vertebra of an extinct species of bison we find the point actually in the channel for the spinal cord.

This vertebra came from a complete skeleton. We have all the rest of the animal, but kept out this one bone to show the unquestionable evidence which it gives us on the relation between the implements and the animal.

Dr. Abbot. You think that that point which is l^dng in the vertebra was the point which caused the death of the animal ?

Dr. Roberts. If not directly responsible, at least indirectly, because the animal would be paralyzed from that point on down. His whole hind quarters would be paralyzed and he could not move. It would have enabled the people to approach him and strike him on the head

Dr. Abbot. And this animal is an extinct form of the bison ?

Dr. Roberts. Yes.

Mr. WooDRUM. Of what period, have you any idea ?

Dr. Roberts. That is still part of the problem which we have to work out. The indications at present are that it belongs to the very beginning of the recent or present period. Dr. Antevs, who has worked extensively with old deposits out through the Southwest and the West, tentatively places it in what he calls the pluvial ])eriod, which is the period immediately following or correlated with the retreat of the glaciers, when there was extensive rainfall all over that section, more so than at the present time.

Dr. Abbot. How long ago was that?

Dr. Roberts. Ten to fifteen thousand years ago is Dr. Antev's estimate.

These are some of the other implements [indicating specimens] ; they are characteristic projectile ]3oints. The feature which is individual is this groove along the face. It occurs on both sides. In the smaller examples it is not as pronounced, but it is there.

Dr. Abbot. How deep below the surface of the ground were those I^oints found?

Dr. Roberts. The majority of these came from 17 feet below the present surface.

Dr. Abbot. And the ground is hard, or hard pan ?

Dr. EoBERTs. Yes, very hard; hard packed. It is difficult to work. It is not rock, but it is a very compact old soil layer.

Mr. WooDRUM. Did you nnd these samples in quantity?

Dr. Roberts. Yes. We have gotten only a few good specimens, but we find large numbers of broken points. The other implements, the scrapers, knives, and things of that kind occur in goodly number.

Dr. Abbot. Mr. Chairman, the remarkable feature about this particular work that Dr. Roberts has been engaged in is that he has found a quarry where these points were made, and it was evidently occupied by a good many people. So that there is hope that in further investigations we may even find the remains of these ancient people who were, so far as we know, the first inhabitants of America.

Mr. WooDRUM. What part of Colorado is this?

Dr. Roberts. It is northern Colorado, clue north of Foit Collins, a mile and a half south of the Wyoming line, just east of the Rockies. It is at the first break between the Plains and the Rockies, where the Plains slope up to the foothills.

The site, as we first found it, is shown here [indicating photograph]. The pit where some of the material comes from, or where I first found indications of it, is in the bank of this ravine. The pit is to the right of the automobile [indicating photograph], which also gives 5^ou a scale as to the size of the site.

This is when we first started in [indicating photograph]. We scraped out along the edge of the deposit, to get a foothold in order to push the digging back into the bank.

After we had located the deposit a year ago this fall, we went back again during the past summer and ran two deep trenches through the top of the terrace toward the pit where we found the first material. This picture was taken, when we had the trenches half way into the pit—in this one we had one trench practically through, and here as it was cut through the men are sifting the material [indicating photograph].

Mr. FiTZPA trick. Is that a hard surface there?

Dr. Roberts. Yes; very hard.

Mr. Fitzpatrick. Something like rock or hard pan?

Dr. Roberts. It is a soil deposit filled with great quantities of rock and sand which has become compact and hard. The material itself occurs in the definite soil layer underueai'th all this accumulated sand and gravel, rock and so on. Tlie weight of the material above has made the stratum in which the objects are found extremely hard. While it is not rock, it is a very hard, compact eai-th, that is quite difficult to work except with great care.

Mr. WcK)nRUM. What was it that first suggested investigation of this particular area where you found this matei'ial?

Dr. RoBKRTs. The region was rejiorlcd to us bv Professoi- Coflin, of the Colorado State College, Fort Collins. He'stated that 1i<' and his brother. Judge Coffin, at Foit Collins, had had as a hobby the collecting of material i-ejaling to the Indians, and in scouting ai'ound

37050—36 2(5

they had found a site which seemed to them to represent some*^liing fairly old. His description and the account of the material <vas such'that it seemed important enonerh to Mr. Stirling, Chief of the Bureau, to warrant my goin<^ out and ins]:)ectino; the site. So a year ago this September I went out and sj^ent 2 months prospecting around in the vicinity where the Coffins had found the material and located this definite hidden deposit containing split animal bones and various stone implements. I was only able to dig there a short time with the help of but one man. The results, how^ever, w^ere so encouraging that this last summer I was sent back to Fort Collins and spent the months of June, July, and August, working through this site.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. Was this space [indicating on photograph] caused by your excavations?

Dr. Roberts. Yas; that is the end of the trench which we carried down into the deep pit. We ran trenches 10 feet wide through a strip 270 feet long. In the upper end of the trench, where we started in, it was 3 feet deep, and at the lower, where w^e came into the ravine, where the first deposits were found, it was 17 feet deep.

There was a tremendous amount of overburden, which is completely sterile. There is nothing w^hatever in it indicating human occupation. That all had to be removed in order to get doAvn to the culture layer.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. Did you have to shore it up as you w^re excavating it?

Dr. Roberts. No; it was sufficiently hard that it held. We were fortunate in that it was good, compact material and would hold, so that we were spared the necessity of shoring up the excavation.

Mr. WooDRUM. That is a very interesting statement. Dr. Roberts. Is there anything further to be said about it at this time. Doctor ?

Mr. Dorset. The appropriation, as you mentioned, is about the same.

Mr. Woodrum. Are you going to proceed with that work or have you completed it?

Dr. Roberts. No, sir. We hope to be able to get out there again this next summer. There is still a lot that can be done, and we have hopes of finding definite traces of the types of habitation which these people had, and also of finding skeletal remains of the people themselves.

Up to the present time we have absolutely no bone material to indicate wdiat type of people made this kind of stone implements.

Dr. Abbot. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make note at this point that the work that has been done on this very important archaeological site has been done by the aid of appropriation from the private funds of the Smithsonian Institution. The salary of Dr. Roberts is carried by the Government a}j]:)ropriation, but the funds which were used in his work were from the income from private funds of the Institution. This is merely a typical case which occurs frequently.

The work of the National Museum is promoted in that way in many instances. Every year we make allotments from ]:)rivate funds to enable Dr. Wetmore to carry on investigations with the aid of members of his staff. But with funds w^hich the Government thus far has not seen fit-to put at their disposal.

Mr. Woodrum. On this particular site you found no human bones?

Dr. Roberts. Xo human bones. They must be there, because the indications are that it was a very extensively occupied campsite. But there is so much overburden to remove that it is diflicuh to uncover any great area durinng the course of a season, and we have not located the cemetery or burial place that must accompau}^ the site.

ASTROPHTSICAL OBSERVATORY

Mr. WooDRUM. The next item is for the Astrophysical Observatory, as follows:

Astrophysical Observatory: For maintenance of the Astrophysical Observatory, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, including assistants, purchase of books, periodicals, and apparatus, making necessary observations in high altitudes, repairs and alterations of buildings, preparation of manuscripts, drawings, and illustrations, traveling expenses, and miscellaneous expenses. .§30,850.

Dr. Abbot. The following statement is presented in explanation of this activity: Expended, 1935 $29. 733

Appropriated. 1936 30, 846

Estimate, 1037 30, 850

Increase, 1937 4

The work under this appropriation is concerned with the investigations of solar radiation, the driving force for all life. The accurate measurements of variations in solar radiation, supported by a careful analysis of such measures, has given indications of a definite relationship between variations in solar radiation and weather changes. Several promising long-range weather predictions both of temperature and precipitation have been made as tests. An extension of solar radiation records will make possible more careful computations on this subject which is of wide economic importance.

The increase in appropriation for 1937 is explained as follows:

(1) Total increase, $4.

The foregoing increase in appropriation was made to round out the appropriation to even figures.

Mr. WooDRUM. Doctor, I notice that the Budget has recommended an increase in appropriation for this activity.

Dr. Abbot. From $30,846 to $30,850; yes, sir.

^^Ir. WooDROki. That is correct. Anyone who can get an increase from the Budget now certainly must have had your own persuasiveness with them.

Dr. Abbot. I hope we shall be able to use those $4 to advantage.

STATUS or IN\rESTIGATIONS AND RESULTS OBTAINED IN STUDIES OF WEATHER, TEMPERATURE, AND RAINFALL

Mr. Chairman, this work, as I mentioned in my opening remark, seems to be more pi-omising at this point tlian it ever lias hitherto.

I published a paper in August in which I traced the variation of the sun and showed that it indicated periodicities Avhicli are repeated in the weather. I have traced the repetition of them in the weather of cities in various parts of the world and find that (hey affect both the temperature and the rainfall.

I have found that the periodicities are aliquot parts, or integral siibmultiples. of 23 years, and that the levels of lakes and (he levels

of streams, and the thickness of tree rings and even the fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean show this 23-year periodity.

Only the other day, Mr. Chairman, I was looking over some notes that I had made more than 20 years ago which I had completely forgotten, and I found I had made a quotation from a famous meter-ologist of the past generation, "Wild, of the Russian Empire. He made a study of temperatures of the Russian Empire from the year 1752 to 1879, and published this work about 1881. In that he mentions that he had found that the temperature of St. Petersburg also showed a 23-year period. I had not known of that for the last 20 years at least. I had forgotten about it. But it was very cheering to find that so eminent a man as that had found this cycle of 23 years formerly.

At the request of the SccretaiT of Agriculture, I made a study of the temperatures and rainfall of some 30 stations or more in the United States for a period of 3 years—1934, 1935, and 1936.

Nineteen hundred and thirty-four having lapsed, I compared the results with the predictions, and found that in 27 percent of the cases, including both temperature and rainfall, the agreement between the prediction for 1931 and the event was almost perfect.

In 42 percent it was as good as one could reasonably hope for, and for 17 percent the agreement was good for half the year and bad for the other half; and in only 14 percent of the cases was the agreement bad during the whole year.

I have, of course, kept these predictions locked up, because they are of such sensational character, if they were true, that one might fear that if tlie}^ turned out not to be true there would be much mischief done by the publication of them. But it will soon be possible to compare for the year 1935 the prediction with the event, and should that turn out as well as 1934 I think it vv'ill be very encouraging indeed.

This work is based, as you know, upon the observations that are being made at our three solar-observing stations; one in southern California, at Table Mountain; one in northern Chile, at Montezuma, about 10 miles from the city of Calama; and one in Egypt, about 10 miles from the convent oi Mount Sinai.

The Egyptian station is being supported by private funds donated by Mr. Roebling. He has been so much interested that he has made a further grant to enable us to carry on at least until 1938.

We find that the Egyj^tian station is practically on an equality, as far as its satisfactory conditions are concerned, with the South American station, which hitherto has been our best one. We are receiving now daily telegrams of the status of the solar radiation from South America and from Egypt, and these are in considerable demand by persons interested in the study of the weather.

I myself am making a study to see how far the short period fluctuations of the solar radiation may affect the weather and so far with very interesting results, which seem to indicate in the short period fluctuations of a few days there may be found a means of predicting the temperatures for perhaps 10 or 15 days in advance.

There appears to be a succession of events in temperature for 10 or 15 days which goes in one sense when the solar radiation has increased a little, and in the opposite sense when a solar radiation has decreased a little.

So that both as to long-period predictions and as to short-period predictions the work appears to give great promise.

DmSION OF FrXDS APPROPRIATED BY GOVERXMENT AXD RECEIVED FROM PRIVATE SOURCES FOR EXPEXSE OF SMITH60XIAN IXSTITUTION

Mr. FiTZPATRicK. Can you tell the committee about what portion of the entire expense of the National Museum is borne by the Government and what percent is borne by private contributions?

Dr. Abbot. Of the Smithsonian Institution and all its branches?

Mr, Fitzpatrick. Yes; that is what I had in mind.

Dr. Abbot. It would be about 10 percent that comes from private funds, exclusive of the Freer Galleiy income. Should that special enterprise and income be included, it would change the figure to about 30 percent.

Mr. Dorset. Of the whole?

Dr. Abbot. Yes.

Mr. Dorset. Yes; about 10 percent, not including the income from endowment for the Freer Gallery.

Mr. Fitzpatrick. That is, by the private funds or by the Government ?

Mv. Dorset. By the private funds.

Mr. Fitzpatrick. And 90 percent by the Government?

Mr. Dorset. That is correct.

Mr. WooDRUM. That is the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Dorset. Taken as a whole; yes.

Dr. Abbot. That would include the National Museum; the Bureau of American Ethnology; the Astrophysical Observatory, and all of the branches that we have except the Freer Gallery.

eelatioxship betw^eex the goverxment AXD the smithsoniax

IXSTITUTIOX

I might explain, sir, the relationship between the Smithsonian Institution and the Government. It is sometimes thought to be a little confused, but in fact it is not.

In the beginning, James Smithson dying, left his fortune of about $500,000 to the United States to found at Washington an institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge amcmg men. The Congress in 1846 passed the enabling act describing how the Institution should be set up and managed.

The first secretary of the institution, Joseph Henr3% set up certain enterprises which became of great public moment. First, the National Museum, which w^as carried by the private income of the Institution for about 12 years up until 1858, I think it was, when the first congressional appropriation was made, as I remember, of only $2,000. And so on until now the National Government, realizing the great importance of the National Museum and its great interest—some 2,0rX).000 people visiting it yearly—now approjiriatos in full for its maintennace. The only su])port which the Institution gives to it from its private funds is in promoting such investigations as Dr. Wetmore may wish to make, and to add to the collections, or to obtain new knowledge. That will iiinount id about $10,000 a year.

At about the same time, Secretary Henry, seeing the piox iiicial character of this coinitry at that time as compared with the Old World, arranged the system of international exciuinges, of which

we have already spoken. He arranged this as a channel through which the publications of the Smithsonian Institution and of the universities and learned societies of this country could be sent to representatives in all the countries abroad, and they would return to the Institution their publications. This led to a great increase in the Congressional Library. AVe have made there a deposit of some three-fourths of a million volumes coming to the Smithsonian Institution as the result of this S3'stem of exchanges. Presently the Government of the United States perceived that this was a fine channel through which to send its publications, parliamentary documents. Patent Office reports, and the like, and a treaty was entered into between the United States and foreign countries. So that that formed the international exchanges. This, Mr. Chairman, also came out of the private enterprise of the Smithsonian Institution, and it was not until some 25 years after the system had been started that the Government began to appropriate for it at all.

And so on through each (me of tliese enterprises which the Smithsonian administers. They have grown out of private initiative of the Institution and eventually have become of such public value that the Congress has seen fit to appropriate for their maintenance.

The private funds, sir, I may say, are the soul of the enterprise, that from which its initiative proceeds, and the Institution acts for the Government as the administrator of these several bureaus which we are considering.

Mr. WooDRUM. Thank you very nuich for that statement, Doctor.

NATIONAL MUSEUM SAIARIES AND EXPENSES

Mr. WooDRUM. The next item is for the National Museum. The item is as follows:

For cases, furniture, fixtures, and appliances required for the exhibition and safe-lceeping of collections; heating, lighting, electrical, telegraphic, and telephonic service, repairs and alterations of buildings, shops and sheds, including approaches and all necessary material; personal services and traveling and otlier necessary incidental expenses, $134,390.

Dr. Wetmore. The following statement is presented under this item:

Expended, 1935 ;>;136, 882

Appropriated, 1936 125, 672

Estimate, 1937 134, 390

Increase, 1937 8, 718

This appropriation deals with the maintenance and operation of the Museum buildings imder the administration of the Smithsonian Institution, and provides for salaries of the mechanical force, for repairs and alterations of buildings in the Museum group, comprising the Natural History Building, Arts and Industries Building, Aircraft Building, South Shed, and such ixirtiou of the privately owned Smithsonian Building as is assigned rent-free to Museum use, for the purchase of electricity necessary for lighting the buildiiigs, and for telegraphic and telephonic services. It also provides for such items as exhibition and storage cases and otlier appliances and containers for exhibiting, storing, and safeguarding the National Collections, which compare favorably with the great museum collections of the world, as they nov\- number almost 15,000,000 specimens worth many millions of dollars.

Tile increase in appropriation for 1937 is explained as follows:

(1) Increase, i)ersonal services $3,720

(2) Increase, miscellaneous expenditures 4,998

Total increase 8, 718

The foregoing increase in appropriation is explained as follows:

(1) Three thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars increase to cover salaries of two senior mechanics. An additional painter and a cabinetmaker are required for making repairs to buildings and exhibit and storage cases. Two of our buildings are antiquated and in others urgent repairs are greatly in arrears. In addition, there is urgent need for construction and repair of exhibition and storage cases. Owing to a shortage of proper storage cases many specimens are inadequately safeguarded, a serious condition since all of tins material is of considerable value either to science or the public at large, and many items are irreplaceable.

(2) Four thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight dollars for additional supplies. An increase of $4,998 is required for additional supplies, including lumber and other materials for storage cases, the purchase of boxes, trays, jars, vials, and similar containers to safeguard specimens. These facilities are urgently needed to provide for exhibiting and storing in a safe manner the specimens which are being constantly received in numbers. For some years the funds for this purpose have been entirely inadequate, with the result that many specimens may be subject to deterioration and loss.

Mr. WooDRUM. "V^""!!! you explain this item to us, Dr. Wetmore ?

Dr. Wetmore. Mr. Chairman, the popularity of the National Museum with the public is very well sho^vn this last year by the decided increase in our attendance. The total number of visitors registered for the fiscal year 1935 was 1,841,306, which is an increase of more than 375.000 over the jesbV previous.

Last Aj^ril we had the largest attendance we have ever had in the history of the Institution. There were 307,739 people passed through our halls in that month.

The increase in these figures has been highly interesting to me, as the attendance for the year is the third largest that we have ever had. The other 2 years with larger numbers were 1928 and 1929, during the period of maximum prosperity in the country.

PRESERVATION OF COLLECTIONS

Mr. WooDRUM. In connection with the National Museum you have an item, preservation of collections, which is as follows:

Preservation of collections: For continuing preservation, exhibition, and increase of collections from the surveying and exploring expeditions of the Government, and from other sources, including personal services, traveling expenses, purchasing and supplying uniforms to guards and elevator conductors, postage stamps and foreign postal cards, and all other neccs.sary exi>enses, and nuc r'Xc(^-<ling $;j,5()0 for preparation of manuscripts, drawings, and illustrations for publications, and not exceeding $3,000 for purchase of books, pamphlets, and periodicals, $G04,i580.

Dr. Wetmore. The following is presented under this ilcni:

Expended, 1935 $n73, 039

Approj.rifited, 1936 ."94, 578

Estimated. 1937 G04. .580

Increase, 19.37 10. 002

The funds under this appropriation provide for all expenses of the Natioiuil Mus(?uin not carrie<l spe<-i(ie;illy in other ni)prf)priations. II includes the jirin-cipal funds for the niaintenanee of tlie national collections relating to .irts and

industries, anthrupolojiy, biology, geology, mu\ American history. The appropriation ('(Hers the salary roll for the curatorial staff as well as the guard, labor, and char forces. Under it there is carrieil on the work of identifying, classifying, exhibiting, and storing the national collections, the preparation of reports presenting the results of study of these collections, expenses in connection with additions to the collections, and the gi'eater part of the cost of the maintenance of the extensive public exhibits of the museum, which are housed in three buildings and a portion of a fourth. It provides also for books for the museum library and for foreign postage useil in the transaction of museum business.

The increase in appropriation for 1937 is explained as follows:

(1) Increase, i>ersonal services $4,020

(2) Increase, miscellaneous expenditures 5, 9S2

The foregoing increase in appropriation is allotted as follows:

(la) $1,620 increase, clerk-stenographer for the Division of Fishes.

The Division of Fishes is at the present time entirely without clerical or stenographic services to liandle the correspondence and cataloging associated with the care of this large, valuable, and rapuUy increasing collection. This lack has thrown on the other members of an already inadequate stalT added duties which serve only to reduce the time available for the care of the coll(*c-tion and for scientific work on the classification of specimens. The addition of the position indicated will benefit the Division out of all proportion to the cost involved.

(lb) $2,400 increase, two additional guards.

The Museum staff of guards is at present inadequate to perform the watch service necessary to protect the valuable exhibits in the national collections. Further, with the present dangerously undermanned watch force, it is impossible to give our guards a fair compensation of excused leave privileges for Sunday and holidaj' service. The two positicms indicated, while not a.ssisting greatly in returning leave privileges for Sunday and holiday sei-vice, will be a very considerable aid in bolstering up a service that is at present inadequate for our needs.

(2) $5,982 increase for the purchase of equipment.

The sum indicated is recommended for the purchase of technical equipment of various kinds needed in the increasing scientific activities the Museum furnishes to other Government establishments and educational institutions. Even after borrowing from individuals and other Fe<leral units the scientific equipment of our laboratories and workshops is far below an acceptable standard of quantit.v and qualit.v. This condition serves to reduce the output from our small staff and is an important factor in producing the large arrearage in our work which is increasing without intermption. Added technical equipment would save the time of the workers and expedite all of our scientific ■work.

Mr. WooDRUM. Will yoit jrive us a statement on this item. Doctor?

Dr. Wetmore. In our operation this past year we have had the usual larg'e offers of specimens for our collections. We make careful selection amonfj the things that are brouirht to our attention, and I suppose we accept less than half of what is made availal)le to us.

We take only those thinp;s that we consider of maximum importance that should be preserved in the national collections.

RECENT ADDITIONS TO COLLECTION OF SPECIMENS

The increase has been 296,468 new specimens, which is about the average of recent years. I have ventured to bring w-ith me a few of tho.se objects to give this committee some clue to the type of material that comes to us annually.

The Secretary has indicated the contributions of the Smithsonian Institution to the work of the National Museum in the field.

SPECIMENS REXJOVEEED BY DR. HEDLICKA FROil KODIAK ISLAND, AL;VSKA

Last year I made some comment on the work of Dr. Hrdlicka on Kodiak Island, which was continued again this past summer under private funds furnished b}^ the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Hrdlicka is investigating- a large village site formerl}" inhabited by an ancient people who lived on this island off the coast of Alaska perhaps 1,500 to 2.000 years ago. He is recovering from the midden, containing refuse discarded from their houses, some highly interesting objects that denote something of their culture.

I have here a selection of slate points that are rather interesting. They were used for weapons in hunting or in fighting. They are made of a stone which is rather soft but at the same time hard enough to hold an edge and are especially interesting because they are capable of being sharpened, just as though they were of steel. If a point became broken or the edge dulled, it was possible to rub it on fine sandstone and bring it back to its former keenness.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. How would that be used as an instrument?

Dr. Wetmore. Some of them were fastened on the ends of sticks and used as spears or javelins. Perhaps they were all used that way. The spears might have been cast from throwing sticks, especially designed for the purpose.

Among other objects Dr. Hrdlicka found this curious carving on a piece of whalebone. It possibly represents a portrait or at least an attempt at caricature of some old man. It indicates a definite appreciation of art among these people and is really quite cleverly done, considering the difficult material from which it is made. In the Smithsonian Institution there are certain funds that have been given for specific purposes, with the proviso that the income will be used for the increase of the collections in the National Museum.

COLLECTION OF METEORITES

I have in mind particularly the Roebling Fund, given by Mr. John Eoebling, in honor of his father. Col. Washington Roebling, which gives us income annually to be used for the increase of our mineral materials. Among all of our collections one of the most interesting to me is that of the meteorites. I have spoken of these before in this committee, and I wish today to exhibit one of especial interest, a stone meteorite secured recently from Nebraska.

There is, you will note, a peculiar gloss on the surface, brought about through Iieatiug as it passed tlirough the atmosphere as it approached the earth. To show its difference, I have brought along for compari.son this iron specimen.

Mr. WooDKUM. That is cut from a section of a larger meteorite?

Dr. Wetmoke. Yes; it is cut and polished. It is one that we have had for sometime which I have brought to show the couti'ast between the stone and iron types. Tliis iron meteorite was found near Dun-gannon, Va.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. This one is heavy, is it not?

])r. Wetmoke. Yes.

Mr. FiTZPATi{iCK. Would you call that a luetaH

Dr. Wktmohic. No; that one is stone.

Mr. WooDRiM. What is tlie theoiy of wheiT th(\v came from?

Dr. Wetmore. Some of these may have formed part of other planets and some may not have had phmetary connection. That is uncertain. All we know certainly is that meteorites are the only concrete things that come to us from outer space.

Mr. WooDRUM. What reasonable evidence do we have that tliey came to us from outer space ^ These were picked up on the ground somewhere.

Dr. AVetmore. Yes.

Mr, WooDRUM. What reasonable evidence do we have that they came from outer space? How do we know that they are not just a mineral deposit of the earth?

Dr. Wetmore. Meteorites have been seen to fall and have been recovered immediately. They have a structure that is not found in any of the mineral deposits of the earth. From that we know, when we find materials of this kind, that they are meteorites and that they have come from outer space.

Mr. WooDRUM. In other words, you can demonstrate that ?

Dr. Wetmore. Very definitely. We now have one of the best collections of meteorites in the world, and we are adding to this steadily through purchase under the income from the Roebling Fund, not from governmental appropriations.

Dr. Abbot. This specimen has certain characteristics. Meteorites always have the same composition, the same figures, when polished.

Mr. WiGGLESwoRTH, How hu'ge do they run usually!'

Dr. Abbott. Among the largest was that obtained b}' Peary in Oreenhmd, one of several tons. Another from South Africa was of greater size, being more than 40 tons in weight. They run all the wa}^ from that down to the size of dust. The shooting stars which you see so frequently Avhen you are out in the country are meteorites, the smallest of which are burned up entirely before they pass through our atmosphere and reach the groimd. But when they are large as those we are displaying they pass clear through the atmos])here and come to the ground, and are of such a characteristic pattern and appearance that there can be no doubt when you sec a meteorite that it is one.

Dr. Wetmore. Meteor Crater in Arizona is quite definitely known now to have been caused by a meteor, that nnist have been of huge size. The crater is slightly less than a mile across, as I recall it, and is just sunk right in in a rather level terrain.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. Is there any record of a death being caused by the fall of any of these meteors ?

Dr. Abbot. No, sir. There have been cases of their having fallen very near persons in broad daylight. There is the case in Alsace or Lorraine—one or the other—some 3'ears ago, where the meteor fell within a short distance of a peasant who was working. But I think there is no record of their ever actually having fallen up(m a person and killing him. Of course, the Morld is ju-etty large, as you Avill notice if you begin to walk upon it. so that the chances of being hit b}" a meteor are so small that even with the number of persons in the world we have no record of anybody being hit.

Dr. Wetmore. There is a record of one having fallen on board ship, which would be a chance, of course.

Mr. Woodrum. Do they have any chemical or geological elements that are peculiarly characteristic to them ?

Dr. Abbot. Their composition is not very different from that of the world as a whole. You will notice the iron meteorite has iron and the nickel and some other materials and the stony meteorite has some of the other components of the earth. It has been investigated and found that it is probable that the composition of these things differs very little, on the average, from that of the whole earth.

The interior of the earth is supposed to be of iron and nickel. The weight of the earth shows that it is necessarily of a metallic character, for the specific gravity of the earth is something like 5.5 times that of water, and no such materials as we find upon the surface which have a specific gravity of from 2 to 3, could possibly make up the weight of the earth as a whole. So it is believed that the interior of the earth, both on that account, and on account of the observations of earthquakes and other ways which they have of estimating the characteristics of the earth, must be largely of metallic composition and probably of iron and nickel, much as that meteorite is.

So that it seems to show that the materials from out of space which come to us in this way are essentially of the same composition as the earth itself.

It has been mentioned that these come from outer space. You will recall, sir, outside of the orbit of the earth, there is a great number of bodies called the asteroids which also go around the sun as the earth does, between the orbit of Jupiter and that of Mars. Some one thousand of these have been discovered already, varying in size from maybe 30 miles in diameter down to just the size of small rocks. These are constantly going round and round the sun in orbits.

Then there are also the comets going round the sun in very elliptical orbits.

It ha^jpens that the orbits of some of these bodies going about the sun are intersected by the orbit of the earth, and where that occurs naturally we have a shower of meteors, meteorites. So that most of these bodies are members of the solar system going in elliptical orbits around the sun, and when our orbit intersects with their orbit Ave get a shower of meteorites.

SPECIMENS OF ZIRCON

Dr. Wetmore. There are other interesting things that we have obtained through the Roebling fund. Here are two zircons of unusual size. These come from Siam. The brown [indicating specimens] is the natural color. Sucli sj)ecimens are embedded in sand and lioated to a certain temperature when they turn blue like this second specimen. To my mind tlie zircon in its fire exceeds the <liamon(i. These are two exceptionally fine specimens.

Mr. WooDRUM. Are they very valuable?

Dr. Wetmork. Zircons of fii'st quality lun alwut $10 a carat. The biggest one of these two—of course, sv/.o increases the value somewhat—is worth about $700; the other possibly $500.

Here is a specimen of crvstalliiic gold from one of the mines in California | indicating sj)ecini('n |.

Mr. FiTzi'ATuiGK. Is the color of the.se zircons brought about by heating?

Dr. Wetmore. They are heated to a cei-tain temperature and their color g:radually chaii<re.s from brown to bhie.

Mr. FiTZPATEiCK. What is their natural color?

Dr. Wetmore. Brown is the natural color. This blue one [indicating] has been heated.

CRYSTALXINE GOLD

Here is quite an unusual specimen: A diamond crystal in the matrix. Diamonds are usually found loose in clay.

Mr. WooDRUM. That is a diamond?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes. The bright crystal at the end is an uncut diamond.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. What do you call this [indicating another specimen] ?

Dr. Wetmore. That is crystalline gold. With the gold there is a small amount of telluride of lead, which is gray in color.

JEWEl. BOX OF ENGLISH OEIGIN

Among curious art objects recently obtained is this little jewel box of old English origin. It has a dummy keyhole [indicating] here in the front, but the actual keyhole is concealed under this central movable bar, where it is entirely hidden. Unlocked it displays a very ingenious type of lock with several tumblers on three sides. Any jewel box should contain treasures. In this one I find a shekel, worth perhaps 40 or 50 cents, that is quite old, as it dates back to 143 B. C.

Here with it is the widow's mite that we read about in the Bible.

Mr. FiTZPATRICK. Where does that come from?

Dr. Wetmore. The box is old English. It dates back to the seventeenth century.

CHINESE MANDARIN SEAL RING

From China comes this Mandarin ring seal, quite unique and interesting. It is used as a finger-ring.

Mr. WooDRUM. That is metal covered wood?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes; the metal is gold.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. Is this specimen gold?

Dr. Wetmore. No ; the box is brass.

These objects are illustrative of some of the many treasures that we have collected.

Mr. WooDRUM. Are these new acquisitions?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes, sir; these are new acquisitions, that have come to us in the past year.

Mr. WooDRUM. Where did the ring come from? Do you know the history of it?

Dr. Wetmore. It came with a collection of Chinese objects as a gift.

INCREASED PERSONNEL FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION

In our appropriation the Budget has allowed certain increases, in view of our necessities in caring for all these treasures. Under maintenance and operation there have been added under personnel two additional senior mechanics, one painter, and one cabinet maker and

carpenter. These are required to assist in our maintenance work, in repairs to our buildings, and in constructing the necessary cases and storage containers for our collections.

Our shops are very efficient, but they are not sufficiently manned at the present time, and these additional positions are very definitely needed in order that we may properh^ prosecute our work.

INCREASE IN ESTIMATE FOR SUPPLIES

There is also an increase of $4,998 for additional supplies, to cover the purchase of lumber for storage and exhibition cases, and storage containers of various kinds for the many types of specimens that come to us. These include glass jars and vials for specimens in alcohol, boxes and trays for other types, and various pasteboard containers that we need to guard our materials against damage and deterioration.

Those are the only two additions under this appropriation for maintenance and operation.

CIVIL-SER^ICE STATUS OF EMPLOYEES

Mr. "WooDRUM. May I interrupt to ask a question? All of j^our people are under civil service?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes.

Mr. AYoodrum. That is, both the Smithsonian and the National Museum ?

Dr. "Wetmore. Yes.

Dr. Abbot. With the exception of a few cases. My own salary is carried by the private funds and that of the editor and some few others.

Mr. "\YooDRUM. But all of j^our clerical and routine help are under 'civil service?

Dr. Abbot. Yes.

EMERGENCY RELIEF EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Mr. WiGGLESWORTH. Havc you had any assistance of emergency funds or emergency workers this year?

Dr. Abbot. I think perhaps Dr. Wetmore or Mr. Graf could explain those better than I. There were some cases.

Dr. Wetmore. In the hearing last year I spoke of help that we had received under the F. E. R. A. through personnel assigned from the District of Columbia relief agencies. At the beginning of the fiscal year we were employing an average of 75 workers—33 women and 42 men. This work continued until the 6th of November 1935, when it was cut off. The people came to us from the District authorities, and wliile we kept the ])ay rolls the actual disbursements were made undci- the District of Columbia. The jx^rsons wore employed in making up arrcai-nges in connection with the handling and arrangement of our collez-tions. The work was limitecl (o pi-eserving specimens, books, and records, and in i)rei)aring collet I inns for use in research or exhibition.

At the present time we have a group of six people under what is lmo^^Tl as the "Federal art project." That work liogan on the l'2th

of November 1935 and is still progressing, and again, the personnel is assigned to lis from the relief agencies under the District of Columbia.

The persons covered are artists of various kinds who are doing work in modeling in clay, in the preparation of original drawings, and in lettering specimens and exhibits.

^Ir. FiTZPATKicK. Their positions are not of a permanent nature, but only temporary?

Dr. Wetmore. These are temporary and are people from the relief rolls.

Mr. FiTZPATRicK. And it will not be necessary to continue that work after they have finished that particular job?

Dr. Wetmore. No, sir.

Mr. WooDRUM. And yon are paying relief wages to those people?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes. In addition, in Florida there are two projects in archeology that are financed under the W. P. A. by the State authorities, our only connection with them being to furnish supervision.

One of these projects is located in Dade County and one near Tampa, in Hillsborough County. They have just begim—are barely under way, as a matter of fact. The last report showed about 300 people employed.

Mr. Fitzpatrick. Is the work of a necessary character, of which you people approve?

Dr. Wetmore. Yes, sir; entirely so. The joroject contemplates investigation of ancient Indian mounds, from which there will come useful information. I will repeat that our only connection with them is that of technical supervision.

HIRE OF temporary EMPLOYEES

Mr. WiGGLEswoRTH. Pleasc explain this item of $1,Y00 for temj^o-rary employees.

Dr. Wetmore. It is for additional labor of a temporary nature, required from time to time, in the handling of our work. Under it we put on extra laborers and mechanics, such as carpenters and painters, as urgencies in our administration develop. There is no increase in this item over previous years.

PERSONAL SERVICES FOR MUSEUM MAINTENANCE AND OPERA'IION AND PRESERVATION OF COLLECTIONS

Mr. WooDRUM. In the last two items you have an amount for personal services. Will you explain that?

Dr. Wetmore. A number of years ago the appropriations for the National ^Museum were carried under six separate items. But sometime since, after discussion with the Bureau of the Budget, they Avere combined under these two items, entitled maintenance and operation, and preservation of collections.

In general, maintenance and operation covers the physical handling of our building, repairs, upkeep, renovation.

Preservation of collections has to do with the care of collections and of exhibits.

Mr. "WooDKUM. In that you have a personnel of 327 for 193G as against an estimated personnel of 330 in 1937?

Dr. Wetmore. Under preservation of collections, there are three new positions that have been allowed by the Bureau of the Budget.

The first is that of a senior stenographer for the Division of Fishes. The salary is $1,620 per annum.

The division of fishes is one of the largest divisions in the National Musetmi and has under its charge a collection of about 750,000 specimens preserved in alcohol. The persomiel at present consists of an assistant curator, an aide, and a laborer. At the present time there is no permanent clerical or stenographic help in that division and it is necessary to give temporary assistance of that nattire, as funds may be spared for that purpose.

Temporary assistance is always unsatisfactory, because the work is specialized, and b}^ the time a temporary worker is well trained in the job. it is necessary to let him go.

At the present time the assistant curator in charge is under the necessity of doing personally a good bit of his own typing, as well as miscellaneous clerical work, for which permanent help should be provided.

The efficiency of the unit demands that this clerical position be added.

There are two further new positions, two additional guards at a salaiT of $1,200 per annum each.

Our guard force is far from adequate for our needs. The men are required to work on a 24-hour-a-day basis. In other words, the collections must always be guarded, with the necessity for this continuing straight through the week, including Sundays and holidays. By law it is required that we give this group excused time for Saturday afternoon service. That is done. Beyond that, while we give the force as much excused time for the extra Sunday and holiday service as possible, they do not receive anywhere near what is coming to them.

There are 52 Sundays in each j^ear, with 7 additional days that are recognized as legal holidays, malting 59 days on which ordinary labor is not required under the Government service.

Our guards, under present conditions, get excused time on an average of from 36 to 40 days per year for the 59 Sundays and holidays that they work; no more. The addition of two guards, while it will not help the situation to great extent, at the same time will be of definite assistance in insuring fairer treatment for our watch force.

Mr. A^'of)I>I{U^I. These positions, botli of the stenograj^lier and of the guaids. are civil service; these men are taken from civil-service registers '.

Dr. Wetmore. Yes, sir. P'urther than that, there is an estimated increase of $5,982 for e(jni|)ni<'nt.

NEED OF .MJDirioXAI, KQITIl'MKNT

We have been operating under even sd'icter cfononiy than ordinarily in recent years, reducing expenditures \vh('i-e\er jjossihle. As a resuk, our equipment is down far beh)\v par at (he present time. In a good many ]>laces men are using instruments of (heir own oi" borrowing instruments, as they can. froui other departments

to carry on the necessary work of the Institution. It is not a proper condition and one which shoukl not be aUoAved to continue.

There are many things that we definitely and ur<2:ently need at the present time as additions to our equipment. We could expend 10 times the amount recommended without any extravagance whatsoever. The item is essentnil to our operation.

Mr. WooDRUM. Other than that, the appropriation is the same ;is for the current fiscal year?

Dr. Wetmore, Yes, sir.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

Mr. WooDRUM. The next item is for the National Gallery of Art, and reads as follows:

For the administration of tlie National Gallery of Art hy the Smithsouiau Institution, including compensatiou of necessary employees, purchase of books of reference and periodicals, traveling exix^nses, uniforms for guards, and necessary incidental expenses, $34,275.

Dr. Abbot. The following justification of this estimate is presented for the record:

Expended, 1935 .$35, 025

Appropriated, 1936 34, 275

Estimate, 1937 24, 275

Increase or decrease, 1937 0

This appropriation provides for the work of the National Gallery of Art, whicli is responsible for the custody, preservation, and exhibition of that portion of the national collections relating to the fine arts, and including principally paintings and sculpture. It provides for the salaries of the staff and minimum running expenses, and under it is carried on the extensive public contacts relating to the fine arts, and scientific and curatorial work on the collections.

The estimate for 1937 carries no increase over the appropriation for 1936.

Mr. WooDRUM. The amount estimated for 1937, $34,275, is the same as the appropriation for the current year.

Mr. DoRSEY. Mr. Chairman, this carries the same appropriation as for the current year. Operations have been going on on the same plane; and while, of course, we need a. great deal more money to carry on the gallery, I think if we get this appropriation we will be able to continue operations as at present for the next year.

NEED OF NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART BUILDING

Dr. Abbott. Mr. Chairman, the position of the National Gallery of Art is. in a large way, pitiful. We have a certain portion of the Natural History Building of the National Museum set apart, at great sacrifice to the museum itself, for the National Gallery of Art. But I suppose three-quarters of the specimens are in storage, not because they are not interesting or ought not to be exhibited but because there is actually no room to exhibit them.

There has been a movement for many years, as you Imow, sir, to provide for the country an adequate and suitable national gallery of art building.

Some years ago a site was set aside on the comer of Seventh Street and what is now Constitution Avenue, but that is, besides being

too small, now intended for a breathing space in the ]Mall and is not any longer available. That site was set apart hj Congress, I think, about 15 years ago.

It has been suggested that the site opposite the Department of Agriculture be used, between that and the greenhouses, but that also is pretty small for an adequate building, and it is not very suitable from the point of view of its surroundings, for the great Labor Building, which is opposite, would rather overshadow it. It would seem that even that site is not very suitable.

So that the question even of a site for the National Galler}^ of Art Building which would be harmonious and in keeping with the greatness of this country is not as yet settled.

As you know, sir, public interest has been very much aroused by the gifts of Mr. Andrew Mellon to his trust, which he has erected, which includes some twenty-odd million dollars worth of the finest paintings and objects of art which exist in the world; and now recently $10,000,000 toward the erection of a suitable building to exhibit them in, in Washington, if it can be arranged before 1941.

There are, as you know, several difficulties now standing in the way. In the first place, there is litigation between the Government and Mr. Mellon on the matter of taxation on these great gifts of his to this trust.

Again there is a question as to the site for this building, which Mr. Mellon has so generously provided the funds for, to be erected. That would require an act of Congi'ess to set aside a site for that purpose, unless he should buy it personally which, if he did, would require probably $5,000,000 or thereabouts and would use up a large portion of the fund which he has set aside for the building.

Then there is the question of the maintenance of such a gallery after it was provided.

In the case of the Freer Gallery, as you recall, sir, the specification of Mr. Freer called for the maintenance by the Government, which has always been done. We have an appropriation, as you know, for the maintenance of guards and other employees connected with the maintenance of the Freer Gallery.

So that here again, if Mr. Mellon's gift should come forward, it would require an act of Congress.

I mention these things, sir, to show you how many difficulties surround the ])rocurement of a great national gallery of art.

We have nothing that could be called so at the present time with the exception of that beautiful gem, the Freer Gallery, which is a branch of the National Gallery, and which was endowed and built by Mr. Freer under tlie auspices of the Smithsonian Institution. But, for the National Gallery as a whole, or even for Mr. Mellon's proposed gift, there is as yet no suitable provision by Congress even of a site. It is a great pity, sir, that nothing has as yet been done to put this country on a i)ar with the other countries of the world in this respect.

It is a matter which is of the very gi-eatest interest to the peojile of this country and to the world, and if something were done which would forward this very useful and highly de^sired ])rnjoct il would be very much desired.

Mr. WooDRUM. Thank you very niudi W^v (h;i( stalcnHMil, Doctor.

37050—:{6 27

PRINTING AND BINDING

Mr. WooDKUM. Tlie next item is for printing and binding, which is as follows:

For all printing and binding for the Smithsonian Institution, including all of its bureaus, offices, institutions, and services located in Washington, District of Colunil)ia, and elsewhere, $55.0<X>, of which not to exceed $8,CKM> shall be available tor printing the report of the American Historical Association.

Dr. Abbot. The following .statement is presented in explanation of the printing and binding estimate:

ExiKMided, H)M5 $25. nOO

Appropriated, Wm 25, 500

Estimate, 1!):{7 55, .500

Increase. 10.37 ^ 30, 000

This appropriation provides for the printing of the Smithsonian Annual Report and its appendix, and for i)rintiiig of publications covcrinfi the scientific work of Federal branches under tbe adnunistrntion of the Institution, and of misv-ellaneous cards, forms, and lal>els ne<-essary in th" woik of such units. It also provides tor the l)inding oi" jieriodic^ls and books for tiie library.

The increase for 1037 is explained as follows:

Increase, printing and binding $30,000

The reduction in the printing and binding appr<rpriation from $104,000 in 1932 to $5,500 in 1934 with later increase to $25,500 has resulted in the accumulation of a considerable arrearage in both printing and binding. Manuscripts of wide general interest relating to the scientific work of the Smithsonian were laid aside. In the same manner the pul)lications of the American Historical Association were redu<ed and manuscript accumulated. It was also nec-essary to .stop the binding of serial publications for the Smith.sonian library, a dangerous practice and one certain to be attended with .some loss of tht'se indispen-.sable reference works. In order to meet the more urgent needs as fully as possible tlie increase of $30.0'!0 will lie allocated as follows:

Printing for the Smith.sonian and its l)ureaus $21,2(X»

Binding, Smithsonian li])rary 5,000

Printing, American Historical As.sociation 3,800

Total 30,000

Mr. WooDiJCM. There is an increase asked from $25,500 to $55,500, the increase amounting to $30,000. Will yon explain that?

Dr. Abbott. Mr. Chairman, when the economy measures were taken several years ago, the appropriation for the Smithsonian Institution was so far reduced that it would have been impossible to maintain our force of skilled persons on the .statF if all departments were pro])ortionately reduced, and it seemed that the best way toi meet the reduction would be by temporarily cutting off the ])rinting and distribution of knowledge from the Institution's branches.

So that the appropriation for printing, which had been approximately $100,000 a year, was reduced at first to $5,500. Last year it was increased to $25,500. in order that we might publish the annual reports of the Institution in the form in which it has been so acceptable to the public, and to give .something toward the support of the American Historical Association puljlications.

Yet the publications of the National Museum and of the Bureau of American P^thnology have been so far reduced that manuscripts of great value telling of results of investigations of the collections have been accumulating and are still unj)ublished.

We made a very strong statement to, and request of, the Bureau of the Budget this year for an increase to help to clear up some

of these accumulations, and to give to the American Historical Society something more like what it used to have for the purpose of publications regarding American history.

The Bureau of the Budget has allotted^ as you see, sir. an increase of $30,000 over what we had for the present year.

Dr. Jameson, who is the representative of the American Historical Society, is present, and I would be glad if he were given an opportunity to make a statement in regard to the association's need for print mg.

MATERIAL AWAITING FUNDS FOB PRINTING

Mr. Dorset. Mr. Secretary, may I say one word about the publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology? We have now on hand, from the working members of the staff and collaborators, $67,000 worth of printing, which we cannot touch unless this appropriation is carried. That will allow the Bureau only $9,000 for printing this year, out of the total increase of $30,000 over the present sum.

Dr. Wetmore. Mr. Chairman, if I may add to that, in the National Museum the editor has now on hand $30,000 of completed manuscripts. I have, either in my office or in the hands of the staff, an even larger amount that is ready for publication whenever funds can be provided.

In other words, we now have approximately $75,00 worth of useful material that can be printed, and it is hoped to handle a small part of that under this item.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. What do you do with these publications after they are printed; are they made available to the general public?

Dr. Wetmore. The general public; yes.

Mr. FiTZPATRicK. Is there a possibility of, or is it feasible to make n small charge, to pay the expense of this printing?

Dr. Wetmore. Our own distribution is to libraries, and in a way to specialists. The editions that we publish ourselves are smalL The law restricts us to a maximum of 4,000 copies of each paper, and in many cases we issue less than that, where the subject is technical and interest is not general.

In the case of publications of general interest, like Mr. Bent's Life Histories of Xorth American Birds, a very popular subject, the Superintendent of Documents, under a revolving fund at his disposal, prints an additional edition that he sells at cost. Where that is done, we pay the expense of typesetting and composition, and he has only the necessity of paying for the paper, printing, and the binding.

The publications are thus sold and distributed at nominal cost.

Mr. FiTZPATRiCK. But to a small numl)er of people.

Dr. Wetmore. Our own distribution goes out largely to libraries. We send them to from 800 to 1,200 libraries in this* country and throughout the world; certain ones that are designed as depo,sitario>< receive all of our publications. That gives central points to which students may repair to get the .scientific material tluil we disseminate.

Mr. FiTzi'ATHiCK. AVlial I was trying to find out is whether a charge could not be niiidc to help defi'ay <he cost of this pi-intinir.

Mr. DoRSKY. !Many of Ihehc go to iustilutioiis wliicli. in id urn, ^ <^heir publications to (lu- use of our staff.

Mr. FiTzpATi:icK. I appreciate that, but these are just given to the general puhiic.

Dr. Abbot. Distribution is made to libraries and institutions which send us material in exchange and to charge them for it would make a rather delicate situation.

Mr. FiTZPATKiCK. I can understand that. I am not questioning that at all.

Dr. Abbot. I think outside of that the distribution is very small.

BINDING NEEDS

Dr. Wetmore. Under this appropriation we carry also the expense of binding for our libraries. Our needs in that direction are very definite and continuous.

Many of the publications that we receive for our libraries come in leaflet form, and in such form are available only for limited use.

There is always the danger of parts being lost unless the finished volume is bound. Once lost the volume may be completed only at considerable expense or perhaps not at all.

Then, among the older books, there is always a necessity for rebinding.

To illustrate my meaning, here is a volume that was published in 1839, a very valuable book, the first edition of Darwin's Journal. It is still in the original binding and is now very much in need of repair. Something should be done vrith this volume before it is too late, or it will be completely destroyed.

Mr. WooDRUM. We shall be glad to hear from you now. Dr. Jameson.

PKINTTNG FOE THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Dr. Jameson. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, Professor Stack and I, it so happened, had word of this hearing only a few minutes before we had to come over; so in respect to figures and dates, I may speak only approximately but I think almost exactly right.

The first appropriations of a definite sort for printing for the Ajnerican Historical Association—this appropriation is solely for printing, and that is all it gets from the Government—began in 1907.

Before that, there were definite appropriations, and we had an average of about 1,400 pages a year to print, so that the appropriation was set at $7,000, which at that time was the cost of printing about 1,400 pages; 2 volumes of 700 pages each, at the Government Printing OflBce.

It sta3^ed at that figure from 1907 until, I think, 1929. In the meantime, the cost of printing at the Government Printing Office had risen so that I represented to this committee, considering the figures for, I think it was 1930, that $12,000 would do only in the •way of printing what $7,000 was originally intended to achieve, and it was put for that one year at $12,000. and then I think the next year at $8,000.

Then there were 2 years when no appropriation was made for any printing for the American Historical Association, although it is, by law, recinired to report lo the Smithsonian and does so.

Mr. Douglas put in an estimate in his budget, I think for the year before last, of $8,000 for printing of two of the annual bibliogi-a-phies, which make a part of the annual report, and the Appropriations Committee resolved upon that and carried that through in the second deficiency bill.

Then for this present year an appropriation of $4,200 was made. Now. $4,000 will hardly do more than print the annual biobliography, the thing that must be maintianed; that is to say, in any publication of an annual bibliogi'aphy, if you omit 1 year or 2 years, it becomes fatal.

So that this volume, which lists ail the books, pamphlets, articles, and periodicals that appear on American history in a given year, we maintain annually, and that would be one feature of any report that might be made.

Xaturally, the committee would wish to know what we would do with an appropriation of $8,000.

First, another one of these annual bibliographies which perhaps members may be interested in, which is very carefully done, and costs the Government nothing so far as the compilation is concerned, only for the printing.

Then we are required by the act to report to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution the proceedings of the association. Those do not take up a great deal of space, only that we now have the proceedings of 3 years to make up, because of the 2 years in which the appropriation was not made, and the $4,200 appropriation in this year will not cover that unless a little is left over.

The proceedings will, therefore, for 3 vears, take quite a portion of the remainder of that $8,000.

We should hope that there would, however, also be the possibility of doing what I say is the third element in our printing. It is not expedient for any Government publication to publish histories that individuals may prepare. Tney are the point of view of one individual.

Wnat such societies do in all countries, with any government money, is to print the materials for history which may be put at the service of all historical writers, and that the American Historical Association has done rather extensively.

With more time for preparation, I had intended to bring over here a truck load containing a series of the annual reports, so that you could see how valuable a source of material for American history the society has published since the old days when it published only two volumes, and one would be of that sort.

Here I have the correspondence of John C. Calhoun; the pajiers of James A. Bayard, the negotiator at Ghent; the correspondence of the French Ministers to the United States. These vary in size according to the amount of money that there was to spend at any time. This is the correspondence of the French Ministers, the earlier French Ministers from 1791 to 1797, in the Revolutionary period.

Here is a volume of the Austin papers with respect to the early days of Texas. This [indicating] is the corres])ondence of R. M, T. Hunter, of Essex County, Va., Secretary of State of the Confederacy. It was correspondence before the Civil War.

This is the diary and some of the correspondence of Secretary Chase, Secretary of the Treasury in Lincohi's Cabinet.

This is the autobiography of Martin Van Biiren, which, I think, was rather our best seller. I rcmembor (hal the Member from that kinderhook district caused an additional 1,000 to be prinled lo ni(>et the demand. It is a very interesting book.

The latest of that series has been the printinir <>f the dijuy bd'orc and during the Civil War of Edward linlcs, Lincoln's Attorney

General, a very important source of additional information regarding that period.

What we should plan t/) do with this $8,000, aside trom the bib-lio<;raphy and the proceedings for the 3 years that have now accumulated, is a manuscript that is now alread}' nearly ready for publication—all the text is ready and most of the annotations, only some of the annotations are needed to complete it, but which I think would be very important to j^rint—of a series of instructions given b}^ Gren-ville and his successors, foreign secretaries of England, to the earlier British Ministers in Washington, or Philadelphia and Washingtcm, running from 1791, when the first minister was appointed, until the War of 1812.

That is important for this reason, that here is a study of diplomatic history which so often is made only with the papers of one side—as I say here is an opportunity to examine all of the earlier diplomatic relations between England and the United States, and know exactly what the plans of Great Britain were, what the instructions were to their representatiA^es here; it shows the other side of the diplomatic negotiations, and is very important as illustrations.

That IS what we should wish to do with the appropriation. I may say, while I am not in a position to compare the amount of money spent for historical publications by this Government with that of the major European govermnents, comparing the amount of print that actually results, which is easier to get than the figures in i)udgets, which always require some interpretation, the Government of Great Britain publishes, in the way of history, about three times what wp. do, although they are burdened rather more heavily, j)erliaps, than we are with other expenditures. Similarly, France prints about twice as much as we print, usually, practically always, source material for histories, from which historians of whatever ]3arty or way of thinking may draw their inferences and write :heir books. But they have got to have their material.

We usually print, as you see, source materials, correspondence, or other materials, which never have been published before. Professor Stack can tell you more than I can of the exact present state of our publications.

Dr. Abbot. Mr. Chairman, I would like to add this: The printing and binding item, as you see, is a lump sum, and it is up to us to allot from it to the American Historical Association. I call your attention to the fact that whereas formerly, when we received $100,-000 they obtained from 8 to 12 thousand dollars, that now with $25,.500 they have received $4,200, so that they have been receiving a larger proportion of our total than heretofore, very considerably larger than we allotted in good times. I make that statement to show that we were not intentionally^ stingy with the allotment f)f the lump sum to Ur. Jameson.

Dr. Jameson. I am sure that the American Historical Association appreciates always the liberal polic}' that the Smithsonian Institution has pursued toward us in these matters of printing.

Mr. WooDRUM. I am sure that the committee will be very glad to give very serious and sympathetic consideration to the suggested Budget's generosity. I am glad that they have suggested so much more for this purpose.

We thank you very much, gentlemen.