UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
ALL CORRESPONDENCE 
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED 
TO THE SECRETARY 
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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
Washington, IZS.A. 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS 
FREER GALLERY OF ART 
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES 
DIVISION OF RADIATION AND 
ORGANISMS 
February 2k, 1948. 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore, 
Parita, Herrera, 
Republic of Panama. 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
Your ietter and note of February 20 are acknowledged. It is hoped that 
you will be able to get all of the equipment you needed at Barro Colorado 
Island transferred from the Army. I take it the hoist car, water tanks, and 
electric equipment are especially needed. I judge from the list of material 
transferred thus far that you have not been idle while there. 
Congratulations on the jeepI This will enable you to cover much more 
territory than you would otherwise. 
This morning a news man called me and stated that he had a report that 
a committee appointed by President Truman was on its way to Dayton to make 
plans for the return of the Wright plane. I assured him that we knew nothing 
J. ca “ 1 f d ^°™f nder Lon S and he w as surprised to hear about it since it 
was the first he had heard. The Commander checked with the White House and 
+£ U + d + .?? t n ° lrLformation; ln f act, they had not heard it there. It apnears 
that this possibly originated in Congressman Van Zandt * s office and that it was 
enlarged upon by some of the newspaper people. Congressman Van Zandt was the 
?° Z e S a y a 8uggestion mde b y Stackpole, publisher of the 
T a2 TC 8tUrS ' ^®f ns y lvania Telegram that such means be used to return the plane. 
^ t ph- meanWM i e 1 am . 8itting tight * ^over Loening was going out to Dayton 
. . lca ®°* © got m touch with Colonel Deeds and the latter advised him 
-il CO ? e aS t ? e situation was quite delicate and that the situation should 
lef f al ° n e and given a chance to settle itself. This has been my feeling 
ince e eginning, and when any one asked us for the plans regarding the 
inform!*+■? 1 assured bim that we ^ no plans as we had no specific 
information that it was to be turned over to us. We even had to turndown one 
p o ographer who wanted to photograph the site where the plane was to be hung. 
. d , Durante^would say, "Everybody is trying to get in on the act." I ^ 
the nlane in thev e *.n* Sy If 11 g6t Very far in mudd ying the water. If we get 
„ plane, they are going to have to come to us because it would be released to 
no one else; and if it is to be brought on a carrier, they certainL will 2ve 
and S keeS g quie“ der LOng,S ° ffiCe * We keeping in touch With eacil other 
V a very fine tali; tilis morning with Mr. Kidd, Mr. Kerr and Mr ftnnW 
au“the o a ?a° J on t the f i 8 M°° :L1 rr ilS “ tpeiition to Persian Gulf. We'laid 
cards on the table and discussed the mtter very frankly. The plan 
