Government historical publications by drawing off titles from the Checklist of United States Public Documents, from the shelf list of the library of the Superintendent of Documents, and from some of the early numbers of the Monthly Catalog of United States Public Documents. Some time has been devoted also to studying and arranging the bibliographical data already assembled and to making plans for a statement that could be used as the basis for a report by the Commission on a comprehensive scheme for all documentary historical publications of the Government. OTHER ACTIVITIES Each quarter since October the Office has prepared a page of "Notes Concerning The National Archives" for distribution to professional journals in the field of the social sciences. Other informative statements regarding the establishment have been written from time to time by the Office for publication in encyclopedias, almanacs, and the like and for use by members of the staff. On the invitation of the Director of Science Service, the Director of Publications attended a conference on January 16 to consider the formation of an "American Documentation Institute." Later he was appointed a member of the planning committee, and he represented the Archivist at the organization meeting of the institute on March 13, at which he served as chairman and was elected one of the five trustees. Subsequently the trustees named the Director as treasurer of the institute. At the request of the program committee of the American Historical Association, the Director, as chairman of the organizing committee for a "Society of American Archivists", arranged for a conference of archivists to be held during the 1936 meeting of the association in Providence; and at this conference the report of the organizing committee and a draft constitution were presented. Thereupon the Society of American Archivists was formally established, and the constitution as drafted was adopted with some minor changes. The Director was elected a member of the council of the society, and Dr. Philip C. Brooks of the staff of The National Archives was elected secretary. The Director also served as a member of the committee on program for the first annual meeting of the society, which was held in Washington on June 18 and 19. The Director attended during the year a conference of executives of historical agencies in the Middle West, at which he discussed "Relations between The National Archives and Historical Agencies"; the annual meeting of the American Historical Association, at which he was elected treasurer of the organization; a meeting of the joint committee on materials for research of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Social Science Research Council, at which matters of interest to The National Archives were discussed; a conference under the auspices of the Social Science Research Council to discuss the planning of research in comparative local history; and a meeting of the Agricultural History Society. He also visited the Hall of Records in Annapolis to advise with the Archivist of Maryland concerning the valuation for insurance purposes of the material in his custody. The assistant to the Director attended the annual meeting of the American Historical Association, and all members of the staff of the Office attended the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists. APPENDIX I THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACT, THE FEDERAL REGISTER ACT, AND CERTAIN LEGISLATION CONCERNING THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES ENACTED BY THE SEVENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACT, APPROVED JUNE 19, 1934 An Act to establish a National Archives of the United States Government, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby created the Office of Archivist of the United States, the Archivist to be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. SEC. 2. The salary of the Archivist shall be $10,000 annually. All persons to be employed in the National Archives Establishment shall be appointed by the Archivist solely with reference to their fitness for their particular duties and without regard to civil-service law; and the Archivist shall make rules and regulations for the government of the National Archives; but any official or employee with salary of $5,000 or over shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. SEC. 3. All archives or records belonging to the Government of the United States (legislative, executive, judicial, and other) shall be under the charge and superintendence of the Archivist to this extent: He shall have full power to inspect personally or by deputy the records of any agency of the United States Government whatsoever and wheresoever located, and shall have the full cooperation of any and all persons in charge of such records in such inspections, and to requisition for transfer to the National Archives Establishment such archives, or records as the National Archives Council, hereafter provided shall approve for such transfer, and he shall have authority to make regulations for the arrangement, custody, use, and withdrawal of material deposited in the National Archives Building: Provided, That any head of an executive department, independent office, or other agency of the Government may, for limited periods, not exceeding in duration his tenure of that office, exempt from examination and consultation by officials, private individuals, or any other persons such confidential matter transferred from his department or office, as he may deem wise. SEC. 4. The immediate custody and control of the National Archives Building and such other buildings, grounds, and equipment as may from time to time become a part of the National Archives Establishment (except as the same is vested by law in the Director of National Buildings, Parks, and Reservations) and their contents shall be vested in the Archivist of the United States. 25118-37-6 73 |