UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 
NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM 
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS 
FREER GALLERY OF ART 
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE SERVICE 
CANAL ZONE BIOLOGICAL AREA 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
April 28, 1949 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore 
Drawer C 
Balboa, Canal Zone 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
I have just received your letter of April 22, and we are all very glad that 
you have had such a successful season. There is very little to take up with you 
now. 
A rather difficult matter came up regarding The Smithsonian Scientific 
Series, and it looked for a while as though there would be a rather nasty lawsuit 
in Philadelphia. However, after talking with Elisha Hanson, Huntington Cairns, 
and Mr. Hogan (by long distance), I think the matter has been resolved so that 
it will be settled peacefully. I have had all the papers held together so that 
you can glance over them. 
Everett Smith has been laid up with the mumps and he has not gotten together 
all the information on the Merriam case about which I wrote you earlier, but I 
think this will probably be in order by the time you return. 
Bemey is leaving for London either May 20 or May 28, depending on the 
transportation used. I think he will be gone until about the end of the fiscal year. 
This means that you will at least have a chance to talk over problems with him 
before he leaves. You are apparently in the Zone by this time, and I hope you 
will have a chance to see the Stirlings. They plan to sail on the Ancon on the 
29th of May. 
X assume you have been notified of Fred Walcott's death. In the circumstances 
I guess this was a mercy. He was a very grand and useful man. I have dropped a 
note to his son. t- 
General Gardiner has been appointed to take "Pop" Powers place on the 
Advisory Board, and "Mit" prepared a nice letter to General Powers for my signature, 
indicating our appreciation of his service with us. Tomorrow morning we have a 
meeting with the Park and Planning Commission regarding the site for the National 
Air Museum. Mit, Jack and I will go from the Smithsonian, and both Admiral Pride and 
General Gardiner will come from the Advisory Board. The Ariingt^nJ 
which was preferred by the Board and greatly preferred by the Perfrsm^ aiming 
Gem ma B o i ox , is one which I think we should fight for; and I thought it best that 
some members of the Advisory Committee bg on hand. 
