SECRETARY'S REPORT 3 



THE ESTABLISHMENT 



The Smithsonian Institution was created by act of Congress in 

 1846, according to the terms of the will of James Smithson, of England, 

 who in 1826 bequeathed his property to the United States of America 

 "to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge 

 among men." In receiving the property and accepting the trust, 

 Congress determined that the Federal Government was without 

 authority to administer the trust directly, and, therefore, constituted 

 an "establishment" whose statutory members are "the President, 

 the Vice President, the Chief Justice, and the heads of the executive 

 departments." 



THE BOARD OF REGENTS 



No changes occurred in the personnel of the Board of Kegents 

 during the year. There still exists one vacancy in the class of citizen 

 regents. 



The roll of regents at the close of the fiscal year, June 30, 1950, was 

 as follows: Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson, Chancellor; Vice President 

 Alben W. Barkley; members from the Senate: Walter F. George, 

 Clinton P. Anderson, Leverett Saltonstall; members from the House 

 of Representatives: Clarence Cannon, John M. Vorys, E. E. Cox; 

 citizen members: Harvey N. Davis, Arthur H. Compton, Vannevar 

 Bush, Robert V. Fleming, and Jerome C. Hunsaker. 



Proceedings . — The annual meeting of the Board of Regents was 

 held on January 13, 1950. Present: Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson, 

 Chancellor; Representative Clarence Cannon, Representative John 

 M. Vorys; Senator Clinton P. Anderson; Dr. Robert V. Fleming, 

 Dr. Vannevar Bush, Dr. Jerome C. Hunsaker, Secretary i^lexander 

 Wetmore, and Assistant Secretary John E. Graf. 



The Secretary presented his annual report covering the activities 

 of the Institution and its bureaus, including the financial report of 

 the Executive Committee, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1949, 

 which was accepted by the Board. The usual resolution authorized 

 the expenditure by the Secretary of the income of the Institution for 

 the fiscal year ending June 30, 1951. 



The Secretary reported that in connection with surveys for con- 

 struction of Government dams throughout the country there has 

 been much interest in the salvage of scientific materials that would 

 be covered by impounded waters. In connection with this. Congress- 

 man Curtis of Nebraska introduced in the House a bill, H. R. 2290, 

 to provide for cooperation by the Smithsonian Institution with State, 

 educational, and scientific organizations for fossil studies in areas to 

 be flooded by the construction of Government dams. This bill, 



