With the great increase in the number and cost of scientific publications, the increase in specialization of investigations, and the increase in the number of investigators, scientific libraries have a difficult service to perform. Even under normal conditions, libraries have received bitter complaints when because of lack of funds they have been unable to supply publications needed by scientific investigators, thus putting obstacles in the way of research. If because of present conditions the funds of scientific libraries are still further limited, the consequences in the future will surely be unfortunate. In the case of libraries occupying strategic points as regards their service to scientific research, the harm which can easily be done through the curtailment of their funds can be repaired only with great difficulty. It is believed that the library of the Department of Agriculture occupies one of these strategic points in the field of agricultural research, because of the present importance of its collections and because it serves not only the Department of Agriculture but also State institutions engaged in agricultural research. Reduction either in the library's purchasing power or in its staff will therefore be felt not only by the department but also by the institutions cooperating with the department. In spite of the library's responsibilities in the work of the department its appropriation as compared with the appropriation of the department as a whole is less than it should be, if the relationship of the appropriations of other large institutional libraries to the appropriations of the institutions with which they are connected is considered. This is borne out by a survey which was made by a prominent librarian a few years ago of the appropriations of sixteen selected universities. The figures reported varied from a minimum of 2.5 per cent for library expenditures to a maximum of 11.4 per cent, or an average of 4.9 per cent. In another survey of New England colleges, the average expenditures for library purposes were found to be 3.3 per cent of the total institution budgets, including nonoperating expenses. A similar comparison between the library appropriation of the department for 1933 and the appropriation for the department shows that the library appropriation is only fourtenths of 1 per cent of the appropriations for the general activities of the department ($62,381,340) and 1.6 per cent of the appropriations for scientific research ($16,885,994). For the various reasons which have been presented, it is earnestly hoped that no reduction will be made in the library's appropriation. Mr. BUCHANAN. Every reduction that was brought about by the provisions of the economy bill has been carried forward in these estimates of the Budget so far as the library is concerned; that is correct, is it? Miss BARNETT. Yes. Mr. BUCHANAN. Did you lose any employees on account of the provisions in the economy act? Miss BARNETT. We have not lost any yet. We have a vacancy and we are not sure whether we are going to be able to fill it; that is, whether we can get permission to fill it. Mr. DUNLAP. Has anybody retired on account of age? SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1932. OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS STATEMENTS OF JAMES T. JARDINE, CHIEF, AND WALTER H. EVANS, IN CHARGE OF INSULAR EXPERIMENT STATIONS PAYMENTS TO STATES, HAWAII, ALASKA, AND PUERTO RICO FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS Mr. BUCHANAN. We will take up the item for the office of experiment stations. This year the various subheads under this item are carried in separate items in the bill, which are as follows: To carry into effect the provisions of an act approved March 2, 1887 (U. S. C., title 7, secs. 362, 363, 365, 368, 377-379), entitled "An act to establish agricultural experiment stations in connection with the colleges established in the several States under the provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862 (U. S. C., title 7, secs. 301-308), and of the acts supplementary thereto," the sums apportioned to the several States, to be paid quarterly in advance, $720,000. To carry into effect the provisions of an act approved March 16, 1906 (U. S. C., title 7, sec. 369), entitled "An act to provide for an increased annual appropriation for agricultural experiment stations and regulating the expenditure thereof," and acts supplementary thereto, the sums apportioned to the several States, to be paid quarterly in advance, $720,000. To carry into effect the provisions of an act entitled "An act to authorize the more complete endowment of agricultural experiment stations," approved February 24, 1925 (U. S. C., title 7, secs. 361, 366, 370, 371, 373–376, 380, 382), $2,880,000. Hawaii: To carry into effect the provisions of an act entitled "An act to extend the benefits of certain acts of Congress to the Territory of Hawaii," approved May 16, 1928 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 7, secs. 386–386b), $26,000. Alaska: To carry into effect the provisions of an act entitled "An act to extend the benefits of the Hatch Act and the Smith-Lever Act to the Territory of Alaska," approved February 23, 1929 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 7, sec. 386c), $15,000. Puerto Rico: To carry into effect the provisions of an act entitled "An act to coordinate the agricultural experiment-station work and to extend the benefits of certain acts of Congress to the Territory of Puerto Rico," approved March 4, 1931 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 7, secs. 386d-386f), $20,000. In all, payments to States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico for agricultural experiment stations, $4,381,000. Mr. JARDINE. The following statement is presented for inclusion in the hearings: Appropriation, 1932. Appropriation, 1933. Budget estimate, 1934_ Increase... The increase of $7,000 is explained as follows: $4, 357, 000 4,374, 000 4,381, 000 7,000 (1) $2,000 increase under Hawaii station act is to meet the authorization $26,000 for 1934 provided for in the act approved May 16, 1928. (2) $5,000 increase under Puerto Rico station act is to meet the authorization of $20,000 for 1934 provided for in the act approved March 4, 1931. Section 1 of the act contemplated certain action by the Legislature of Puerto Rico and by the insular Government. This action was not completed before July 1, 1932, and the Secretary of Agriculture therefore withheld his certification of the appropriation for 1933. This action of the Secretary of Agriculture is subject to appeal by by Government of Puerto Rico to the Congress at its session in December, and, in any event, it is expected the necessary action will be taken by the Legislature and Government of Puerto Rico so that the Secretary of Agriculture can certify the funds for 1934. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION The Hatch Act approved March 2, 1887, appropriates $15,000 per annum to each State for agricultural experiment stations to "aid in acquiring and diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical information on subjects connected with agriculture, and to promote scientific investigation and experiment respecting the principles and applications of agricultural science." The Adams Act, approved March 16, 1906, appropriates $15,000 per annum to each State for the more complete endowment and maintenance of the State agricultural experiment stations "to be applied only to paying the necessary expenses of conducting original researches or experiments bearing directly on the agricultural industry of the United States." The Purnell Act, approved February 24, 1925, authorized an appropriation for each State of $20,000 for the fiscal year 1926, an increase of $10,000 over the preceding year for each fiscal year 1927 to 1929, inclusive, and $60,000 per annum thereafter for the more complete endowment of agricultural experiment stations and for other purposes, to be "applied only to paying the necessary expenses of conducting investigations or making experiments bearing directly on the production, manufacture, preparation, use, distribution, and marketing of agricultural products and including such scientific reaserches as have for their purpose the establishment and maintenance of a permanent and efficient agricultural industry, and such economic and sociological investigations as have for their purpose the development and improvement of the rural home and rural life, and for printing and disseminating the results of said researches." The Hawaii station act, approved May 16, 1928, provides that beginning with the fiscal year 1930 the Territory of Hawaii shall be entitled to share in the acts noted above and authorizes appropriations for this purpose as follows: 1930, $15,000; 1931, $20,000; 1932 to 1936, inclusive, $2,000 increase each year over the preceding year; 1937, $50,000; 1938 to 1941, inclusive, $10,000 increase each year over the preceding year; and thereafter, $90,000 per year. The Alaska station act, approved February 23, 1929, provides that the act on March 2, 1887, as amended and supplemented, and known as the Hatch Act, and the act approved May 8, 1914, and known as the Smith-Lever Act, be, and the same are hereby, extended to the Territory of Alaska: "Provided, That no appropriations shall be made under this act until annually estimated as to funds and amounts by the Secretary of Agriculture; the estimates to be based upon his determination of the ability of the Territory of Alaska to make effective use of the funds." The Puerto Rico station act approved March 4, 1931, provides as follows: "That beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1933, the Territory of Puerto Rico shall be entitled to share in the benefits of the act entitled 'An act to establish agricultural experiment stations in connection with the colleges established in the several States under the provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862, and of the acts supplementary thereto,' approved March 2, 1887, as amended and supplemented, and of the act entitled 'An act to provide for cooperative agricultural extension work between the agricultural colleges in the several States receiving the benefits of an act of Congress approved July 2, 1862, and of acts supplementary thereto, and the United States Department of Agriculture, approved May 8, 1914, and of acts supplementary thereto: Provided, That the experiment station so established shall be connected with the College of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico and it shall be conducted jointly and in collaboration with the existing Federal experiment station in Puerto Rico in enlarging and expanding the work of the said Federal station on cooperative plans approved by the Secretary of Agriculture; and the Secretary of Agriculture shall coordinate the work of the territorial stations with that of the Federal station and of the United States Department of Agriculture in the island: Provided further, That the several experiment stations now conducted by the insular government shall be transferred to and coordinated with the experiment station of the College of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico, together with whatever funds that are available for the support of the same, and the Secretary of Agriculture may at his discretion transfer such land, buildings, and equipment as he may deem necessary to the experiment station of the College of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico: Provided further, That the Territory of Puerto Rico shall make provision for such additional buildings and permanent equipment as may be necessary for the development of the work. "SEC. 2. To carry into effect the above provisions for extending to Puerto Rico the benefits of the act of March 2, 1887, and supplementary acts in the order and amounts designated by these acts, the following sums are hereby authorized to be appropriated in addition to the amounts appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for use in Puerto Rico: $15,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1933; $20,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1934; $25,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1935; $30,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1936; $35,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937; $40,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938; $45,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1939; $50,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940; $60,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941; $70,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942; $80,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1943; and $90,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1944, and thereafter a sum equal to that provided for each State and territory for agricultural experiment stations established under the act of March 2, 1887. "SEC. 3. The permanent annual appropriation provided for in section 3 of said act of May 8, 1914, and of acts supplementary thereto are hereby authorized to be increased by an amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this act, but without diminishing or increasing the amount to which any State or the Territory of Hawaii is entitled under the provisions of said act of May 8, 1914, and of acts supplementary thereto: Provided, That for the fiscal year 1933 the total amount available to the Territory of Puerto Rico under the terms of the act of May 8, 1914, shall be $50,000,this amount to be increased by $10,000 annually, or such part thereof as may be necessary, until the total to which Puerto Rico is entitled under the provisions of this act is reached. Participation in other Federal appropriations for cooperative extension work, including those authorized by the act of May 22, 1928, shall be at such time and in such amounts as shall be estimated by the Secretary of Agriculture and appropriated by the Congress." Mr. BUCHANAN. The first of these items calls for an estimate of $720,000, the same as last year. Mr. JARDINE. The first main item is for payments to States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, for agricultural experiment stations. The amount for the States and Alaska remain the same as for 1933. The item is increased by $2,000 for the Hawaiian station under the Hawaii station act and by $5,000 for Puerto Rico under the Puerto Rico station act. Those increases are in accordance with the provisions of the acts, but here I might make clear that there is a corresponding reduction in the Federal appropriations to the Federal stations on those Territories. The acts provide for coordinating the work of the Territorial stations in Hawaii and Puerto Rico with the work of the Federal stations and the United States Department of Agriculture. The provisions of the Hawaiian act called for a $2,000 increase in 1934 and the Puerto Rico act for $5,000 and there are reductions in the appropriations for Federal stations which will come up under item 3. Mr. BUCHANAN. That is true of both Puerto Rico and Hawaii? Mr. JARDINE. Yes. Mr. BUCHANAN. There is a reduction in both these items? Mr. JARDINE. Yes; there is a corresponding reduction of $2,000 in estimates for the Federal station in Hawaii. In Puerto Rico the reduction in estimates for the Federal station is $20,000 to offset the total 1934 estimate to Puerto Rico under this item. Mr. BUCHANAN. So that actually they do not get any increase? Mr. JARDINE. So that there is no increase. Actually there is a net decrease of $15,000 for Puerto Rico compared with 1933. The first sub-item, of course, is the Hatch Act of 1887 which provides for $15,000 a year to each of the stations. The supplemental or amendatory act, the Adams Act of 1906 provides for $15,000. The Purnell Act of 1925 provides for $60,000. The Hawaii station act of 1928 provided for ultimately putting Hawaii on the same basis as each of the States, by a progressive increase which calls for a total of $26,000 for Hawaii in 1934. Mr. BUCHANAN. What would be the limit to which Hawaii can go when the limit of the act is reached? Mr. JARDINE. The limit of the act will be the same as the States, $90,000 a year. PUERTO RICO EXPERIMENT STATION Mr. BUCHANAN. How about Puerto Rico? Mr. JARDINE. The Puerto Rico limitation will be the same ultimately, in 1944. In connection with Puerto Rico, the act was passed March 4, 1931, to become effective July 1, 1932, and it calls for certain provisions of acceptance of the act and of coordination of the Territorial station work and the Federal station work. The Puerto Rico. Assembly did not, in the judgment of the department, make the proper provisions for the acceptance of the act and therefore Puerto Rico is not receiving this year the fund made available in the agricultural appropriation act of July 7, last. However, under the law, Puerto Rico may appeal to Congress during the year, so that the obligation is still outstanding; and at any rate it is expected that in February, 1933, the Puerto Rico Assembly will make the necessary provision for acceptance so that the amount specified in the Puerto Rico act for 1934 is included in the estimates for Puerto Rico. Mr. BUCHANAN. Suppose this bill goes through the House and Senate before then? Mr. JARDINE. I mean it will be effective for the next year beginning July 1. Mr. HART. What is the reason that they did not match these funds? Mr. JARDINE. They do not have to match these funds. Mr. JARDINE. In accordance with the original Hatch Act of 1887, the Puerto Rico Act of March 4, 1931, provides that the experiment station so established shall be connected with the College of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico, and provides further that the several experiment stations conducted by the insular government shall be transferred to and coordinated with the experiment station of the College of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Assembly passed an act which transferred, in a way, the stations to the University of Puerto Rico of which the Agricultural College is a part, but at the same time it made the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, which is a separate agency, an ex officio member of the board of trustees of the university and placed with him all authority for dealing with the Department of Agriculture in the planning, budgeting, and spending of these funds and of activities included in, and affected by, the Puerto Rico act. Mr. HART. That is, placed the authority with him, not as an individual but as commissioner of agriculture. Mr. JARDINE. That is right; instead of placing the administration with the college and the board of regents of the university. Mr. BUCHANAN. In other words, the act of Congress contemplated creating virtually an agricultural college. Mr. JARDINE. They have the agricultural college. |
