purpose of that survey is to deal solely with the question of soil erosion in a given area? Mr. EISENHOWER. That is right. That was a broad reconnaissance survey to determine the extent of erosion in the United States. Mr. UMSTEAD. And their surveys are not based upon the counties as a unit, but upon watersheds and soil types? Mr. EISENHOWER. Erosion surveys are made wherever the Service plans field work-for a demonstration, C. C. C. or work project. On the whole, demonstration projects are on a small watershed basis. The Soil Conservation Service is interested, first, in making a reconnaissance survey of the watershed to determine the total problem, and, next, in making detailed erosion surveys, farm by farm. Mr. UMSTEAD. But before they proceed with the soil erosion control anywhere in that area, they have to make a very definite and inclusive survey of every farm in the region which they intend to work on, and that is being done now actually in every demonstration area. Mr. EISENHOWER. You will be interested in the agreement which has been signed by the Soil Conservation Service and the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils, and approved by the Secretary; this agreement serves not only to prevent duplication, but also to provide for the utmost cooperation between the scientific agency on the one hand and the action agency on the other, so that the Department-the Government as a whole-will get the greatest possible returns from the expenditure of funds by the two agencies. Mr. CANNON. You may continue. Mr. EISENHOWER. We have been discussing soil surveys, principally. We are 4 years in arrears in this effort, and therefore of the $50,000 increase requested, we have allocated $34,650 to soil surveys. The increase also includes $2,000 for circulars, which are used for semitechnical reports on the results of scientific research; $2,150 for J. A. R. separates which record briefly, in a highly technical way, the results of pure research; $2,200 for statistical bulletins; and, finally, $9,000 for technical bulletins. I think I need not give further details, Mr. Chairman, unless there are additional questions. Mr. UMSTEAD. There is just this question, Mr. Chairman. I understand from your discussion of the requested increase that it is for the purpose of making available information which has been collected as a result of surveys and research. Now, unless those are made available in the form of printed data, of course the surveys and the research have accomplished nothing. Mr. EISENHOWER. That is correct. Of course, so far as surveys are concerned, considerable use is made of photographic copies of field sheets. Mr. UMSTEAD. Then the Government ought to do one of two things. It either ought to stop the research and the surveys, or else make that information available to the world. Mr. EISENHOWER. Certainly. Mr. TARVER. Would this $34,650 be sufficient for all of the surveys that you have ready for printing? Mr. EISENHOWER. No, sir. Mr. TARVER. What amount would be necessary? Mr. EISENHOWER. The Department is completing the field work on about 50 surveys each year; the average cost of publication is about $1,875. This means a minimum annual cost of $93,750 merely to keep from falling further behind. If the increase is granted we shall have about $98,750 for this work in 1937, so it can do little more than keep us from falling further behind in the printing of surveys. This does not provide for the printing of the 4-year average or for the fact that the field-survey work is likely to increase. Mr. TARVER. How much would it take to enable you to catch up with the surveys? Suppose that the committee should take the view that you should publish all of those immediately; how much money would be required? Mr. EISENHOWER. I doubt that we could bring them all up to date in 1 year. It would probably be physically impossible for the Government Printing Office to handle them. We could not do the necessary editorial work in that time, either. I think we could bring them all up to date in about 2 years, in which case I think it would require roughly $150,000 more per year for at least 2 years that is, this amount over and above what is shown in the estimates. MR. TARVER. Instead of $34,650. Mr. BUCKBEE. Could I add this idea there? Has a change been made by the addition to or the omission of more or less rag with the mixture of pulp in the paper? Mr. EISENHOWER. There are, as you know, all classes of paper, but we have not changed materially the quality of paper used in the production of our material. Mr. BUCKBEE. You have the same specifications? Mr. EISENHOWER. Yes, sir. In conclusion, I wish to make clear that, while the printing and binding appropriation covers all such work of the bureaus and offices of the Department of Agriculture, it is not used to pay for the printing of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration or the Soil Conservation Service. Subsequently, this appropriation will include the charges for printing of the Soil Conservation Service. For the current fiscal year, however, we had no basis on which to make an intelligent estimate for an agency which is only now submitting its first regular budget. In the light of experience gained during the next year or two, we shall request a transfer of funds-rather an increase in this item and a corresponding decrease in the Soil Conservation estimates. The estimates of the Soil Conservation Service for 1937 are, in a sense, complete in themselves. FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1936. LIBRARY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE STATEMENT OF MISS CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, LIBRARIAN, AND W. A. JUMP, BUDGET OFFICER SALARIES AND EXPENSES Mr. CANNON. The next item deals with the Library and is as follows: Salaries and expenses: For purchase and exchange of books of reference, law books, technical and scientific books, periodicals, and for expenses incurred in completing imperfect series; not to exceed $1,200 for newspapers, and when authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture for dues for library membership in societies or associations which issue publications to members only or at a price to members lower than to subscribers who are not members; for salaries in the city of Washington and elsewhere; for official traveling expenses, and for library fixtures, library cards, supplies, and for all other necessary expenses, $103,800, of which amount not to exceed $70,520 may be expended for personal services in the District of Columbia. Miss BARNETT. The following justification is presented for this estimate: Appropriation Act, 1936. Increase_ $99, 812 103, 800 3, 988 An increase of $3,988 in the project "Acquisition of publications by purchase, gift, and exchange, and preparation of material for binding.” The need for additional funds for the purchase of books and periodicals is urgent. The amount available for this purpose in the fiscal year 1935 was more than $10,000 less than in the fiscal years 1931 and 1932. This loss was only half offset by the increase of $5,000 in the funds for the purchase of books in the fiscal year 1936. The loss in the 3 preceding years and in the present year has impaired the service of the Library to the bureaus and has presented serious difficulties. Adequate library service is essential for the economical conduct of the research and other technical work of the Department. WORK DONE UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION This appropriation is used for four main purposes, as follows: (1) For the acquisition of publications needed in the work of the Department; (2) for the work of entering these publications in the permanent catalogs and other records of the library; (3) for the reference and bibliographical service necessary to make these publications readily available to users of the library; and (4) for the circulation of material to Department workers and to other libraries and research institutions of the city, and particularly to the State agricultural college and experiment-station libraries. Mr. CANNON. We would be glad to have a statement on this item. INCREASE REQUESTED FOR PURCHASE OF BOOKS Miss BARNETT. The only change in the estimates for 1937 as compared with the present year is an increase of $3,988 in the amount available for the purchase of books. This increase is very greatly needed. The amount available for the purchase of books and periodicals in the fiscal year 1933 was $8,000 less than in the fiscal year 1932, and in the fiscal years 1934 and 1935 it was approximately $10,000 less than the amount available for this purpose for the fiscal year 1932, taking into account the loss due to the exchange rate. It must be taken into consideration, too, that there has been a great increase in the demands on the library in the last 3 years. Unless a library can purchase the books and periodicals which are needed in the work of the Department, its efficiency is very greatly decreased. In fact, if it does not keep up with the new material, it becomes merely archives. It must grow to meet the needs of the Department, or its function is not fulfilled. It is unthinkable that a scientific institution such as the Department of Agriculture should not have an adequate, up-to-date and growing library. 47432-36- -6 JANURY 10, 1936. OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS STATEMENT OF DR. JAMES T. JARDINE, CHIEF OF THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS Mr. CANNON. We will take up next the estimate for experiment stations, appearing on pages 33 to 39 of the committee print of the bill. You are asking for an increase of $625,000. Will you indicate the special need which justifies that increase? GENERAL STATEMENT Dr. JARDINE. Mr. Chairman, may I take just a moment to identity the office in its relationship to the Department? Mr. CANNON. We shall be glad to have a statement on that. Dr. JARDINE. The Office of Experiment Stations represents the Secretary of Agriculture in the administration of the Federal grant funds to the State agricultural experiment stations. For example, the Federal funds that go to the State station at Illinois, the station in Georgia, the one at Raleigh, N. C., and the one at Columbia, Mo. We do not have anything to do with the Federal stations supported by the regular appropriations of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. UMSTEAD. Do you have anything to do with the forestry experiment stations? Dr. JARDINE. We have nothing to do with the experiment stations of the Forest Service except as I shall indicate in a later function. Our main function is the administration of the Hatch, Adams, and Purnell Acts, which grant $90,000 to each State, $35,000 to Puerto Rico, $50,000 to Hawaii, and $15,000 to Alaska, and the new Bankhead-Jones Act of June 29, 1935, which authorizes $1,200,000 to be allotted to the States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico in 1937 on the basis of rural population. The second function delegated to the Office is to assist in the coordination of the research work of the Department with that of the State agricultural experiment stations. For example, there are now in the Office approximately 700 written cooperative agreements providing for cooperation and the coordination of Federal activities with similar activities of State agencies. Some of them are in North Carolina. Some of them are in Illinois. Each of the States is involved. Yesterday, for example, we had a proposed cooperative understanding for research under soil conservation in the State of Illinois. The third function is the administration of the Federal outpost stations in the insular possessions, one in Puerto Rico and one in Hawaii. A few years ago the stations in Alaska and Guam were discontinued, and the station in the Virgin Islands was transferred to the Interior Department. The Secretary now proposes to add two additional functions-the first, to assist in coordination of the research work of the Department as between and among the bureaus. I think that that has been spoken of before. Mr. JUMP. I mentioned that to the committee yesterday. Dr. JARDINE. And the second function is to assume the leadership for the Secretary in the planning, programing, and coordinating the research work under the portion of the Bankhead-Jones fund which is assigned to the Secretary. I should like to start now with the regular items, if you don't mind. Mr. CANNON. Yes. PAYMENTS TO STATES, HAWAII, ALASKA, AND PUERTO RICO FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS Mr. CANNON. The items on that are as follows: HATCH ACT 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. ADAMS ACT 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. PURNELL ACT 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 STATION ACT 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. VII, title 7, secs. 386-386b), $50,000. ALASKA STATION ACT 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. VII, title 7, sec. 386c), $15,000. PUERTO RICO STATION ACT 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. VII, title 7, secs. 386d-386f), $35,000. BANKHEAD-JONES ACT For payments to States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, pursuant to authorizations contained in title 1 of an Act entitled "An Act to provide for research into basic laws and principles relating to agriculture and to provide for the further development of cooperative agricultural extension work and the more complete endowment and support of land-grant colleges", approved June 29, 1935 (49 Stat., pp. 436-439), $1,200,000. |