26 ANNUAL EEPOIIT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 30 



of work is beyond the capacity of the present staff to handle en- 

 tirely adequately. Clerical assistance also is at a minimum, and 

 there remain a considerable number of offices in which stenographic 

 and clerical help is not at present available. Naturally this detracts 

 from the efficiency of these offices since scientific workers who should 

 be occupied otherwise are through necessity compelled to devote con- 

 siderable time to routine work of a clerical nature. It is impera- 

 tive that regular additions be made to our personnel to assist in these 

 necessary functions. Further assistance is required in the shops, on 

 the guard force, and in the labor force since it is at present neces- 

 sary annually to obtain temporary workers in the grou^DS concerned. 

 The employment of temporary services, particularly where specialized 

 Avork is concerned, is of doubtful expediency since necessarily part 

 of the time is occupied in training, and there is more liability to 

 error than with workers on a permanent basis. 



Exploration and field w-ork under the National Museum are 

 financed largely by the Smithsonian Institution through its private 

 income, and by friends who supply funds for various projects of 

 particular interest. Existing approj^riations for the National Mu- 

 seum are so largely taken up with routine expenditures that there 

 is little available that may be used for research in the field. Further 

 money should come from our appropriations for these ends. 



Interest of the general public in scientific matters, particularly 

 of the type that comes within the scope of the National Museum, is 

 plainly evident through the demand that comes for popular exposi- 

 tion in scientific subjects. So far as the National Museum is con- 

 cerned this interest is shown by the nearly 2,000,000 visitors who come 

 annually to its halls. These persons, together with the many others 

 who have an interest in such things, are among those who contribute 

 to national income in the form of taxes. With their interest in these 

 matters in mind it seems entirely logical that a part of their con- 

 tributions should be devoted to furthering the development of the 

 Museum which serves them in such various ways. 



ADDITIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY BUILDING 



The Congress gave definite consideration during the year to the 

 question of additional housing for the collections of the National 

 Museum, with the result that the Smoot-Elliott bill authorizing the 

 extension of the Natural History Building through wings at the 

 east and west ends at a cost of $6,500,000 was passed without a dis- 

 senting vote. The bill was aj^proved by the President on June 19, 

 1930. 



Under this authorization it is planned to add to the present build- 

 ing so that it will extend from Ninth to Twelfth Streets on the same 



