424 SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



ings Commission which will result in reducing the space allotted to 

 the scientific, technical and clerical employees of the Geological Survey 

 in the New Interior Building to 75 square feet per person, or about one- 

 half that now occupied. 



"It is beyond argument that the industrial, social, and economic ad- 

 vancement of a nation is largely measured by its capacity to encourage 

 scientific researches and apply their results. The Federal and State 

 governments have recognized this fact by establishing scientific and 

 technical bureaus to aid in the development of the country's resources 

 and the administration of the laws. 



"The proper housing of a scientific and technical bureau such as the 

 Geological Survey demands adequate consideration of freedom from 

 interruption, proper lighting and ventilation, and easy access to nu- 

 merous reference books, drafting tables, valuable maps in various 

 stages of completion, specimens of many materials, and considerable 

 special equipment. 



"The Geological Survey in carrying out the work assigned to it by 

 Congress has been able to perform highly useful public service, to draw 

 to its staff men of the highest professional training and ideals, and to 

 create standards of workmanship and efficiency that are well known 

 and widely approved. 



"After 30 years of service the Geological Survey found itself housed 

 under crowded and unsanitary conditions that hindered its efficiency, 

 menaced the standards of its work, and sufficiently endangered the 

 health of its employees to call forth a protest from the Public Health 

 Service. At that time the average floor space available to clerical 

 employees was about 64 square feet and to scientific and technical em- 

 ployees about 102 square feet. These conditions led to the preparation 

 of plans for a building especially adapted to the Geological Survey's 

 needs and in 19 13 to the passage of the bill authorizing the construction 

 of the New Interior Building, of which the Survey now occupies about 

 one-third. 



"The present personnel of the Geological Survey in Washington in- 

 cludes about 320 geologists, engineers, chemists, and other scientific 

 and technical employees, about 260 clerical employees, and 121 skilled 

 mechanics and workmen. By the proposed reduction in allotted space 

 the first two groups, aggregating 580 employees, must carry out their 

 official work in 44000 square feet of floor space, or about 20 per cent 

 less than that occupied by a similar corps of workers in the old crowded 

 and unsanitary quarters. 



"Careful investigation gives convincing evidence that an average of at 

 least 150 square feet, or twice that allotted by the Public Buildings 

 Commission, is the minimum within which the employees of the Geo- 

 logical Survey can perform their official duties with proper regard for 

 efficiency and standards of work. 



"It is stated that the reduction in allotted space is made in the in- 



