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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION    1328

area presumably would remain intact, and would serve the appropriate time to rehabilitate and restore the public exhibitions.

The dispersal, if made according to this plan, would be considered as permanent. It would contemplate the erection of two or more suitable buildings of functional but not elaborate design, and the establishment thus of a research center, available to the public and to working scientists as required, arranged in such a manner that there could be appropriate addition made, as necessary, in future decades. As a beginning, it would be necessary to have approximately 750,000 square feet. The location should be immediately outside Washington, and not in some other part of the country, as it would be essential that the two functions of exhibition and scientific research be adjacent for proper administrative operation.

On motion, by Dr. Bush, seconded by several, approval was given to the plans for dispersal as presented by the Secretary.

POLICE POWER FOR SMITHSONIAN GUARDS

As a protection to the public and as a safeguard to our buildings and the tremendously valuable collections contained therein, as well as to our employees, our guard officers and a small group of our guards have had special police commissions issued by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, authorizing these men to make arrests. We were informed a short time ago by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia that they felt they no longer had legal authority to give this power to employees of the Federal Government.

It is necessary for obvious reasons that the members of our guard force, as indicated, have this authority. The Congress already has passed special bills authorizing such police power for guards under the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.

Senator Anderson has introduced an appropriate bill in the Senate, and

A.W.