February 16, 1949 
Dr. & Mrs. Matthew W. Stirling, 
c/o Captain L. Snell, 
Albrook Air Force Base, 
Canal Zone. 
Dear Matt and Marion, 
Marion's long letter of February 8 with all the news 
from Parita and of your travels tc El Volean has been a pleasure 
to me. I appreciate your giving me all the information. 
News of Mrs. Lothrop's book has traveled rapidly. 
It would be my recommendation that you find it convenient to 
forget the request of the Contes for a copy. It is good that 
Marion explained the matter to them a little, but it is bound 
to hurt them when they see it. It would not be well to be the 
one that brought the volume to them as there might be some 
feeling that would connect you with the written word. They are 
good people, with their own way of doing things and I would be 
the last one to hold them up to any public ridicule. Many of 
our methods must seem highly amusing to them but they are far 
too polite to tell us. 
I had a note from General Hale telling me to be free 
to come to the Officers Club if I thought that desirable, 
and I will write him soon thanking him for his friendly offer. 
I think that we can do that nbw and get along without diffi¬ 
culty, particularly if we have our own jeep for transportation. 
Three years ago I had some difficulty there since the 
motor pool was short of transportation and it was rather hard 
to get around for the various engagements that I had to meet. 
I do not expect to spend much time at the Club, as 
I will go almost immediately to Barro Colorado Island and then 
proceed to La Jagua as soon as I can get the necessary outfit 
together. 
I would appreciate it if you will send me definite 
