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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 1346

Air Museum, required by our necessity to shift our storage of materials held for this Museum, a matter that could be handled under existing funds, but for which authorization for repair and construction of quarters on rented property was required. This was granted in the Third Supplemental Appropriations Act for 1952. 

It will be recalled that over two years ago the District of Columbia authorities informed us that they did not have legal authority for special police commissions of certain of the guards in the Smithsonian buildings, so that it was necessary to seek this authority through special act of Congress. The first attempt was to establish this through the Public Buildings Administration for all agencies of the government employing guards, including the Smithsonian. This, however, did not meet with favorable consideration in Congress due to the widespread activities of the Public Buildings Administration throughout the United States. It became necessary consequently to introduce special legislation on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution. This was done, and after considerable discussion in which we had most friendly assistance from our Congressional Regents, Public Law 206 of the 82nd Congress (H.R. 1038) relating to the policing of buildings and grounds of the Smithsonian Institution and its constituent bureaus, became law under date of October 24, 1951. This places us in firm position relative to protection of the many thousands of visitors who come to the Institution annually, and serves to safeguard the tremendously valuable materials in our collections that by law are our responsibility. 

The Secretary has brought to attention of the Chancellor and the other Regents S. 1136, introduced in the Senate, a bill to place under the Administrator of the General Services Administration responsibility for certain miscellaneous activities in the District of Columbia, in accordance with the recommendations of the Hoover Commission. Through an error in interpretation this includes the Smithsonian Institution. Full report was made to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments, pointing out that the proposal would take away from the Smithsonian 

A.W.