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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 1318

The Chairman has maintained regular contact with the Secretary throughout the year, and one meeting of the Executive Committee was held on July 11, 1950. This meeting considered the status of appropriations for the fiscal year 1951, as submitted by the Secretary, and also discussed the matter of the new top level grades under Civil Service, known as Grades GS-16, GS-17 and GS-18 which, under existing law are restricted to 300 positions. Because of the present great scope of governmental activities, competition was such that the Smithsonian finally received authority only to place Mr. Graf, Assistant Secretary, in grade GS-16 at $11,200 per annum, although we had made recommendation for Mr. Graf for GS-18, and for three other staff members in lower grades. It seems probable that the present ceiling on these higher positions will need to be increased in view of the large number of important positions not now covered. The Committee expressed itself as desiring further action by the Chairman on this matter, in collaboration with the Secretary, looking toward higher classification in grades for the positions in question, including that of Mr. Graf. While there has been no opportunity as yet, the Secretary is following the matter and will keep in touch with the Chairman relative to it. 

The salary of the Director of the Freer Gallery of Art, which is paid from Freer Fund income, for years was $10,000 per annum, which for a long period equalled that of the Secretary of the Institution. When salaries on Smithsonian private funds were adjusted recently, to correspond with Civil Service grades of equal responsibility, the Director's salary was set at $10,750 per annum. The Secretary outlined to the Committee present salaries in equal positions elsewhere, including our own National Gallery of Art, which are considerably higher, and recommended that the salary for Mr. Wenley be set at $15,000 per annum. The Committee approved this recommendation, to be effective as of July 1, 1950. 

A.W.