Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-12
The Smithsonian at a Crisis.


The remarkable character of the
Smithsonian Institution was demon
strated by a meeting held yesterday
at which the present needs and the
future possibilities of that great scien
tilc organization were considered. II
was a threefold assemblage. First
there was the establishment of the in
stitution, the President. the Chief Jus
tice and the members of the cabinet
There were then the regents. compris
ing members Of Congress and citizens
OF distinction. There were finally
those classed as invited conferees.' -
men eminent in many lines of finance
industry and science.
The purpose of this meeting, which
was called by the late Charles d. Wal
colt, secretary of the institution, who
on his deathbed requested that it be
held despite his illness, was to con.
slider the future of the Smithsonian.
The institution has come to a crisis.
1t faces a heavy task of scientific re.
search and development, but lacks the
funds to permit 1t to be undertaken on
a proper scale.
Chief Justice Taft, presiding at the
meeting as chancellor of the board of
regents, noted that the Smithsonian
is an institution which enjoys the pro-
lection of the United States Govern
ment and is yet private organiza-
ton. Founded upon the beneficence of
James Smithson, it has done a Won
derful work in the advancement of
science in America. Its means have
never been adequate. 1t has been aid
ed by private benefactions and gifts.
Its resources. however, are not stable
and are quite insufficient. The sup.
port Of the Nation is essential to it's
further development.
Whether the Smithsonian Institu.
ton 10 given more literally the inan-
c1al support of the Government. or is
compelled to remain dependent upon
voluntary gifts, it must go forward.
1t has already contributed incalculably
to the resources and the wealth and
the knowledge Of the people. 1t has
aided in the development of great Gov.
eminent bureaus, the Fish Commits.
sion. the Weather Bureau and also the
National Museum. 1t is the co.ordinat-
ing factor of the scientific energies of
the American Commonwealth.
In his address to the conferees and
regents Acting Secretary Abbot noted
the fact that millions of specimens in
geology. zoology. botany and an.
thropology are piled up under the
Smithsonian's direction, unexamined.
unclassffied. undescribed and useless.
For lack OF funds this great wealth of
knowledge lies undeveloped. The
Smithsonian is, in fact, heavily in ar
reArs in its work. Meanwhile time is
pressing. Entertainments by the white
man are obliterating forever the re-
mains of Indian civilization in Amer
lea. and the next fifty years will offer
Lifo tocl opportunity " ltdTIt the STORY
OF the native tribes of this continent.
Without funds to conduct these re-
searches on the scale required and to
carry on a full study of the ma
terials already collected, the Smith
sonian is at a critical point in it's his
tory.
1t is due to the memory of the man
whose endowment established this
great institution and of the four men
who in its eighty years of existence
carried on its work SO ably and with
such broad vision that the Smith,
sonian be now relieved of its financial
stress by public appropriations or pri.
vats gifts, or both, to insure its &C.
compiishment of the work which lies
before ia work of inestimable bene-
At to mankind.