16 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 193 2 



Further, the appropriations for the National Museum above the 

 salary rolls have not been sufficient for the regular routine expendi- 

 tures, these sums having been supplemented by accumulations from 

 lapses due to temporary vacancies in regular positions on the salary 

 roll. Under the Economy Act, as stated above, these funds are 

 all impounded for return to the Treasury, so that the Museum in 

 1933, in addition to its situation with regard to temporary help, will 

 find itself more than $10,000 short of the funds necessary for regular 

 routine expenditures. 



Curtailment in appropriation for printing and binding for the 

 fiscal year 1933 has placed the National Museum in a situation where 

 the usual publications can not be issued. This will result in the 

 postponement of many valuable papers whose contents should be 

 made available for general public use. 



ADDITIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY BUILDING 



In the report for last year there was mention of the provision in 

 the second deficiency bill for 1931 of an appropriation of $10,000 

 for the preparation of preliminary plans for additions to the Natural 

 History Building. It will be recalled that the extension of the 

 Natural History Building, through wings on the east and west ends, 

 at a cost of $6,500,000, was authorized in the Smoot-Elliott bill, 

 approved by the President on June 19, 1930. The executive com- 

 mittee of the Board of Regents selected the Allied Architects (Inc.) 

 of Washington to make the necessary plans. The work has pro- 

 gressed rapidly and efficiently under the direction of Nathan Wyeth, 

 so that these plans are now in hand. 



An estimate for $1,200,000 for a first appropriation to begin con- 

 struction wa3 included in the items submitted to the Bureau of the 

 Budget for the fiscal year 1933, it being considered that this would 

 suffice for excavation, foundations, and similar items, with the ex- 

 pectation that contracts would be made covering the continuance of 

 the work. Due to the financial situation which arose and the neces- 

 sary restriction that this imposed on the National Budget, it was 

 not practicable to include this item in the estimates finally sub- 

 mitted to the Congress, nor was there later opportunity to consider 

 it favorably. The matter has rested at this point pending more 

 favorable opportunity. 



It is highly important that construction should be begun as soon 

 as financial conditions will permit. The addition in space that these 

 new wings will bring is seriously needed, since the present Museum 

 buildings are so badly crowded as to interfere with logical exhibi- 

 tion and storage collections, and there can be no expansion. The 

 matter is particularly important in view of the many excellent 



