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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION   1268

Following this, under date of May 20, 1947, the Secretary, as the custodian of the property in question, received a demand, signed by Mrs. Charlayne Whiteley Gellatley's attorney, to surrender possession of the collection. On advice of the Department of Justice, no reply was made to this communication. On June 18, 1947, a summons was served on the Secretary, dated the previous day, requiring answer to this complaint. The action is attempted against the Secretary, as a private individual.

This matter was turned over to the Department of Justice which assigned Mr. Marvin C. Taylor, Special Attorney. Various legal procedures have followed, including demand from the plaintiff for a decision by default since reply had been made by the Department of Justice which the plaintiff claims does not represent the defendant in the present case. 

TERMINATION OF THE SMITHSONIAN RETIREMENT PLAN

At the Annual Meeting last year the Board, by resolution, authorized the placement of Smithsonian employees paid from trust funds, under the Federal Retirement System, with termination at that time of the Smithsonian Retirement Plan. There was at the same time instruction to the Secretary, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to work out the necessary arrangements to carry this into effect, the Executive Committee being given full power to act. The instruction from the Board included the stipulation that the money then held in the Smithsonian Retirement Fund be used to secure for the employees concerned the maximum protection under the Federal system to which their length of service in the Smithsonian entitled them.

Under this, the Secretary arranged with the Civil Service Commission to place

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