SECRETARY'S REPORT 6 



earnest visitors the story of America's national history and of the 

 rise of the industrial and scientific greatness of America. These fu- 

 ture leaders of our Nation cannot help being wiser in all that they 

 do concerning our country if they see in our halls examples of the 

 ingenious productions of the great inventors and leaders of the past. 

 The very fact that other countries of the world in recent years have 

 voiced their pride in their eminent inventors indicates something 

 of the importance of emphasizing iVmcrica's great inventive contri- 

 butions of human society in building our own Nation's morale. 



This year certain facts were presented to the Congress concerning 

 the fundamental needs of the Smithsonian Institution. Without ex- 

 ception, the press comments on these statements from all parts of the 

 country agreed that the Smithsonian has a significant place in our 

 Nation's life and that its work should be adequately supported. 



The history of the Smithsonian makes clear how the present finan- 

 cial situation of the Institution has arisen. Almost all our endow- 

 ments were given for various specific purposes. Therefore, little of 

 the income from the invested funds of the Institution is available for 

 alteration or growth from year to year. In this connection, it is a 

 pleasure to report that a few small funds from bequests have come 

 to the Smithsonian during the current year. Those who are con- 

 nected with the administration of the Smithsonian are delighted at 

 any time to discuss with prospective donors the means by which their 

 gifts can support the general work of the Institution. 



The bureaus of the Smithsonian which are financed in varying 

 degrees by congressional appropriations have developed through the 

 years in an uneven way. In general, it may be said of the continuing 

 activities of the Institution that instead of expanding in the last 20 

 years, which have seen so much growth in many activities of the Fed- 

 eral Government, the Smithsonian has financially remained static or 

 even in some respects has retrogressed. A comparison of the situation 

 in 1934 and in the present year is illuminating. In the period since 

 1934 the national collections in charge of the Smithsonian have in- 

 creased 130 percent. The number of visitors to our 5 exhibition 

 buildings on the Mall have increased by more than 150 percent and 

 our correspondence in answering scientific and other questions has 

 grown several times that amount. 



In spite of this growth in work load, the total number of man- 

 hours per week available at the Smithsonian has actually decreased 

 during the past 20 years. In cash, the appropriations for functions 

 other than personnel is $11,000 less than it was in 1933. This means 

 that in purchasing power the Smithsonian has had its funds cut more 

 than in half during this period. 



. The Honorable Charles R. Jonas, Member of Congress from North 

 Carolina, in a published news report to his constituents this year com- 



