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make any preemptory demands for the impounding of funds. 
The Social Security puzzle is about ready for clearance. The ten 
people concerned voted, - 8 for approval and 2 opposed. Tom Henry opposed 
it since he is now covered to the full amount and J. B. Knight opposed by 
letter from Florida where he is vacationing. At least we have the two- 
thirds majority required and for that reason the matter was submitted to 
the Executive Committee. Vannevar Bush approved verbally. I will attempt 
Mr. Fleming approved in writing 
to get him to sign his name to a vote, 
and the matter is now before Mr. Cannon. 
The special committee of the Board of Regents will soon have a letter 
from Mr. Fleming discussing ways and means of going forward on their job 
a nd asking for any other suggestions as to methods of procedure. Apparent 
ly there will not be an early meeting of the committee since, after they 
settle on procedures, it will be up to the scientific members of the group 
to come up with some names and data. 
The news a few days ago carried a brief statement that some of the 
appropriation bills had been approved by committee, whether this meant the 
subcommittee or the full committee was not indicated. 
Jim wrote that you had questioned his authority to sign a contract 
for the construction of the Laboratory Building. I think that this was 
well-taken and we have sent him a letter extending his authority to cover 
signing of a contract, but in that authority we have limited him to such 
amount as may be specifically approved by the Secretary's office. 
h » jjL 
/ jr '• Tom Clark is ready to go to Panama as soon as the specs and plans of 
the Laboratory Storage Building have been drawn up. He will then work 
with Jim in taking such necessary steps as may be required in the Zone on 
W jr such matters as advertising, letting of bids, and opening of bids. 
The Interdepartmental Committee is still having quite a struggle on 
the matter of deferments of students so that they may be permitted to 
finish their college training and for a lesser quantity to take graduate 
work. At the moment it looks as if it is General Hershey versus the 
field, with the final outcome still very much in doubt. The Senate is 
willing to go along with the 18 -year draft and U.M.T., with provision 
for school work for a selected group. The House, from newspaper reports, 
will be considerably tougher, at least as to U.M.T. 
Huntington Cairns left on March 7 for a trip to Europe on "official 
business for the Gallery." He will apparently visit England, France, 
Holland, and Belgium and return about the first of May. Fortunately I 
was able to have a roundup with him on Social Security so we were able 
to have the benefit of his thinking as well as Jim Adams 1 . 
On March 20 we have been asked to appear before a meeting of the 
Fine Arts Commission on the subject "Interests of the Government in Art." 
