UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
ALL CORRESPONDENCE 
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED 
TO THE SECRETARY 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
Washington, tZ.\S.A. 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS 
FREER GALLERY OF ART 
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES 
DIVISION OF RADIATION AND 
ORGANISMS 
April 2, 1947. 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore, 
c/o Commanding Officer, 
AAF Auxiliary Airfield, 
Jaque, R. de P. 
Via Albrook Field, C.Z. 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
I have just received your letter of March 26, 1947, and 1 am glad to note that 
you will soon be out among the wild game. 
Several things have happened since you heard from us. 
(1) Mrs. Goldman accepted the offer of the Nelson Goldman Orchard Company, 
which still leaves us the majority stockholder in that company. 
(2) The supplemental appropriation for the National Air Museum is approved 
for 1948, and this increases "the amount of the estimate for Salaries and Expenses, 
Smithsonian Institution, from $987,000 to #203,700." This will obviously be taken 
up at the time of our regular hearings. 
(3) Our supplemental appropriation to cover the cost of Public Law 390 in 
the amount of #130,400 has passed both the House and the Senate with the full 
amount included. We are thus assured of staying on the payroll until July 1st. 
(4) We have had a nibble on a gift of $80,000 to $100,000 as an addition to 
the Smithsonian Endowment from a citizen in the Middle West. The man is 76 years 
old and his wife is 71* According to his present plan, half os hxs estate (total 
value estimated at #150,000 or more) is to’go to the Smithsonian Institution, and 
the other half to the building fund of toe A.A.A.S., except that the income from 
this total amount would go to his wife during her lifetime. Information was sent 
to him as to how this might be accomplished. The matter was checked by Mr. Hansen, 
and he indicated that toe information provided by Mr. Dorsey was entirely adequate. 
(5) You have a letter here from William Benton relating to the return of 
looted objects of art to countries of origin. I thought this matter fell entirely 
within the purview of toe National Gallery of Art, and I was a little disturbed 
by the following which I quote from his letters 
"It is my understanding that in informal conversation with Miss 
Ardelia R. Hall of the Department, you indicated that the Smithsonian 
Institution might be willing to serve/in this capacity. The Department 
of State would appreciate it if the/Smithsonian Institution will agree 
to assume this responsibility. ; 
m 
