SECRETARY'S REPORT 5 



cis Scott Key watched as he wrote the "Star- Spangled Banner," is 

 proudly displayed in our halls. In this dangerous time of the world's 

 history, when free institutions continue to be challenged by totalitarian 

 ideologies, a true knowledge on the part of our citizens of the story 

 of our country's rise to preeminence is important. This amazing na- 

 tional growth is illustrated in many Smithsonian exhibits. Thus the 

 honored old Smithsonian Institution provides today one of the means 

 by which a forward-looking American can pass on to new generations 

 a true understanding of our free heritage as a society that stands 

 for liberty under law. 



THE ESTABLISHMENT 



The Smithsonian Institution was created by act of Congress in 

 1846, in accordance with 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 Smith- 

 sonian Institution, 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 



The Institution suffered a great loss during the year in the death 

 of two of its most valued regents. Eugene E. Cox, member from the 

 House of Representatives, died on December 24, 1952, arid to fill the 

 vacancy created the Speaker of the House appointed Representative 

 Leroy Johnson, of California, to serve until the fourth Wednesday in 

 December in the second year succeeding his appointment. The death 

 of Harvey N. Davis, which occurred on December 3, 1952, created a 

 vacancy in the class of citizen regents, but this had not been filled at 

 the end of the year. 



When the opposite political party becomes the majority party, it 

 is required that one of the members of the Board resign. Senator 

 Walter F. George, therefore, submitted his resignation to the Vice 

 President since he was the most recent Democrat to be appointed to 

 the Board of Regents. This vacancy was filled by the appointment 

 of Senator Robert A. Taft, of Ohio, on March 9, 1953. 



On January 20, 1953, Vice President Richard Nixon became an ex 

 officio member of the Board to succeed the Honorable Alben W. 

 Barkley. 



