SECRETARY'S REPORT 5 



of museums, galleries, and historic monuments and cultural property 

 in general in time of armed conflict. This conference was attended 

 by 48 nations, including the U. S. S. R. A satisfactory treaty was 

 formulated, and I had the honor of signing for the United States. 

 Cynical individuals may express the feeling that in the present era 

 of atomic warfare such a treaty has little value. It does not seem 

 certain, however, that a unanimous expression of regard for cultural 

 and scientific property by all the great powers of the world is without 

 general significance even in the present period of history. Certainly 

 the treaty for the first time regularizes the steps that must be taken 

 to try to protect museums such as those in the Smithsonian group in 

 time of war. 



Bio-Sciences Information Exchange 



The Smithsonian now operates for a number of other governmental 

 and nongovernmental organizations a Bio-Sciences Information Ex- 

 change. This agency, under the direction of Dr. Stella L. Deignan, 

 provides current information in regard to research that is under way 

 in biology, medicine, and related fields. Funds for this operation 

 are provided by special grants made to the Smithsonian Institution. 



The staff of the Smithsonian Institution joins me in expressing deep 

 appreciation to the Chancellor and the Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution for all they have done during the present year to advance 

 the well-being of the Smithsonian. The needs of the Institution are 

 many. But certainly the year that has passed has been one that has 

 seen solid achievement and important accomplishments in many fields. 



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 past year brought the death of two valued Regents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. Fred M. Vinson, Chief Justice of the United 



