4 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1953 



paring our national expenditures for military affairs with those at 

 the Smithsonian, said in part, "So there are two of our outstanding 

 national collections — the study at the Smithsonian of man's construc- 

 tive progress, and the study at Aberdeen of man's destructive prog- 

 ress. In both cases we can marvel at and feel proud of American 

 ingenuity and energy , . . But at Aberdeen, there is mixed with 

 our pride a certain sadness and shame that American thought and 

 wealth must of necessity be spent on a collection of terrible weapons 

 to use against other men. Billions for war, pennies for cultural life 

 . . . what a tragic arrangement of accounts." 



The Smithsonian is not an "inflated agency," but rather one that 

 in recent decades has not been permitted to perform for the citizens 

 of this country its many basic functions as well as it would have been 

 able to do if it had been given more financial support. During this 

 time, however, the loyal but numerically declining staff of the Insti- 

 tution has carried on approximately 150 percent more work than was 

 required of their more numerous predecessors. 



All who are interested in the welfare of the Smithsonian must, 

 therefore, it seems, be prepared to explain its unique and fundamental 

 place in American life to all responsible individuals, both inside and 

 outside our Government, who can assist in its development. I am 

 happy to report that appropriations made to the Smithsonian for 

 the fiscal year 1954 will allow the Institution to take some first steps 

 in the long-overdue rehabilitation of its exhibitions and in the needed 

 renovations of certain of its buildings. Funds to continue modern- 

 ization and renovation will be most urgently needed in the succeeding 

 years. In the near future plans must also be made for new buildings 

 to relieve the now almost intolerable overcrowding of our present 

 structures. 



In its basic charter the Smithsonian was established, as Smithson 

 its wise donor directed, to provide for "the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among men." The importance of these functions in the 

 welfare of a nation becomes more clear with each passing year. Can 

 anyone doubt that the sensible and constructive growth of our free 

 institutions is based upon a clear knowledge by most of our citizens 

 of the factors that have made our past achievements and activities 

 possible ? Our American conception of social progress is based on a 

 realization that advancement is founded on a willingness to take 

 advantage of improvements in the existing way of doing things. We 

 do not intend to have here the destructive and self-defeating chaos 

 produced by revolutionary upheavals. We must thus insure as wide 

 a dissemination as possible of a knowledge of the past achievements 

 of our Nation and of its natural resources. 



It is symbolic of the mission of the Smithsonian that what has 

 been called "the No. 1 Museum Item of America," the great flag Fran- 



