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 
February 27 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore 
Parita, Herrera, 
Dear Dr. Wetmore 
I am sending a couple of news clippings for you, which are^ explanatory, 
and one for Matt which I am sure he will understand. It was too bad about Maxon. 
We haven't much in the way of details yet, but apparently the end came rather 
suddenly. 
The interest in the Wright plane is still seething. Congressman Van Zandt 
is having a talk with Secretary Forrestal today. Jack Long and I got together 
and decided that Secretary Forrestal did not have much of a message to impart, 
As we are not in a position to say anything and of course the Navy will wait for 
us to initiate action. Apparently Eddie Bickenbacker came out with a release 
indicating that Wright,being a man of peace, would never consent to his plane 
being brought back on a carrier, and thought it would be best to bring it 
back in some commercial liner like the USS America. The airlines are evidently 
interested in flying it back. So should we ever get the plane, we will not 
lack for means of transportation. Mitman is taking lunch with Grover Loening 
today, so something may come out of their discussion, though nothing can happen, 
either as to active plans or announcements, until we receive word from Wright’s 
executors. If they are being bothered as much as we are, it may be some time 
before they can take the necessary steps to notify us. 
We have notified the State Department that Bowe and Holmberg should attend 
as delegates. We just had a letter from George Foster this morning and he 
agrees entirely with your suggestion. 
The latest we have on the Senate hearings is Thursday at 10:30 a.m. If 
you are not otherwise engaged at that time, you might turn your face toward 
Mecca and pray. After our hearing, I will drop in and talk with Senator White's 
secretary to find if there is anything the Senator's office might do to help us 
out. I will also try to contact Senator Barkley and Senator George, though 
whether much can be accomplished there is problematical. I can at least leave 
justifications at the office and ask for any assistance they might be able to 
give us. 
Aldrich just received a letter from Jack Myers turning us down. Apparently 
Texas made him a proposition he could not refuse. I suggested that Aldrich 
contact Lambert at Agriculture to see if he had any suggestions to offer, and 
