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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 649
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December 12, 1924.

The President:

The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution desires the opinion of the Department of Justice on the legality of the proposed employment of a firm of experts for the purpose of increasing the endowment of this Institution.   The papers relating thereto are herewith enclosed.

As the Board desires to take action on this proposal at a meeting in January 5, may I venture to request that you will be good enough to transmit the question to the Attorney General for attention at his early convenience. 

Respectfully,

(signed) Charles D. Walcott.
Secretary.

December 13, 1924.

Dear Sir:

At the annual meeting of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, held December 11, there was brought before the Board the matter of an effort to secure an additional endowment of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) or more for the Institution through the plan of employing the firm of Tamblyn & Brown, 17 East Fort-second Street, New York City, as outlined in their letter of November 10, 1924, a copy of which is enclosed.

A very full discussion followed without coming to a decision, as it was felt that the Board should have the benefit of the advice of your office before deciding whether it had or had not the legal right to enter into an agreement with Tamblyn & Brown to organize a movement to increase the endowment of the Smithsonian Institution in the manner proposed in their letter.

It is understood that the proposed arrangement is predicated on the understanding that friends of the Institution will furnish a fund of $50,000 for the employment of Tamblyn & Brown and the expenses of securing the additional endowment so that no part of the funds of the Institution would be expended in this solicitation.   Your opinion is asked as to whether or not the Regents may lawfully solicit funds or employ Tamblyn & Brown to organize a campaign.

I am enclosing:

a. Letter of Tamblyn & Brown describing the plan they propose. (See p. 636)

b. Copy of the fundamental Act of 1846 organizing the Institution.

c. Financial statement showing the present status of the endowment of the Institution.

Very respectfully yours, 

(Signed) Charles D. Walcott.
Secretary.

The Honorable Harlan F. Stone,
Attorney General,
Washington,  D. C.
[[initialed]] CDW [[/initialed]]