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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION    1212

Senator White and Representative Cox asked to be excused at 11:10 A.M. so that they would be able to attend their respective Congressional Committee Meetings.

BUILDING PROGRAM.
The Secretary reported that H.R. 4276, a bill to provide for the construction of public buildings carries three items for the Smithsonian Institution, viz.:

(a) A building on a suitable site in the Mall for an historical museum to include space for the exhibition of the historical collections of the Nation, including naval and military collections, memorabilia of noted Americans, philately, and numismatics, under a total limit of cost of $6,600,000.

(b) A building for the engineering and industrial collections of the Nation, including aviation, under a total limit of cost of $9,150,000.

(c) Additional facilities at the National Zoological Park, including an aquarium, a lion house, an antelope house, a monkey house and monkey island, and barless pits and paddocks, under a total limit of cost of $2,645,000.

During public hearings before the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the House of Representatives, the Secretary with Mr. C. W. Mitman, Head Curator, Department of Engineering and Industries, Dr. W. M. Mann, Director, National Zoological Park, presented testimony on October 18, 1945, as to need for this construction. The matter rests at present, pending decision on the postwar public building program.

It is of the utmost importance that the Institution have additional space.

A.W.