12 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1925 



that contact with other races would work their undoing. Amicable relations 

 were established with them and many interesting specimens of their arts and 

 industries were collected for the National Museum. The San Bias Indians 

 have an advanced social organization, with a ruler who could perhaps be prop- 

 erly classed as a king. Through the San Bias, Mr. Marsh came in contact with 

 hundreds of " white Indians " whose presence in Panama has been known 

 for a long time but who have not been examined by scientific observers. 

 Individuals brought by Mr. Marsh to the United States have been carefully 

 examined and tentatively stated, before field studies go more fully into the 

 matter, to present a form of albinism. 



ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY 



For several years there has been recognized the need of an addi- 

 tional assistant secretary to relieve the pressure on the Institution 

 of administration of the eight Government bureaus, several of which 

 have developed rapidly in recent years. This need was laid before 

 Congress, and in the last appropriation bill provision was made for 

 the new position. After a thorough study of the qualifications 

 needed for the position, Dr. Alexander Wetmore was appointed on 

 April 1, 1925, as Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 with general supervision of the National Museum, the National 

 Gallery of Art, and the National Zoological Park. 



Doctor Wetmore graduated from Kansas State University in 1912, 

 having specialized in biology. He carried on post-graduate studies 

 in biology at George Washington University, receiving the degree 

 of M. S. in 1916 and Ph. D. in 1920. Since 1910 he has served in 

 the Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture, first as agent, 

 then as assistant biologist, and finally as biologist, with official sta- 

 tion at Washington, D. C. 



During Doctor Wetmore's connection with the Biological Survey 

 he conducted numerous investigations dealing with birds and mam- 

 mals, and in 1923 directed the U. S. S. Tanager expedition which 

 engaged in general scientific exploration of islands in the Pacific. 



On November 18, 1924, he was appointed superintendent of the 

 National Zoological Park, where he exhibited unusual administrative 

 ability, and on April 1, 1925, he was installed in his new position. 



SMITHSONIAN RADIO TALKS 



In my last report there was described the beginning of a series 

 of radio talks by the Smithsonian Institution in cooperation with 

 station WRC of the Radio Corporation of America, as an addition 

 to the Institution's established methods of the diffusion of knowl- 

 edge. The entire matter was placed in charge of Mr. Austin H. 

 Clark, curator of echinoderms in the National Museum, and under 

 his able and enthusiastic direction the series of talks was a distinct 

 success, as attested by calls and letters from many listeners. 



