son is of an inventive nature and they are able to obtain the 
aid of the chief mechanic of the Victor Phonograph Company of 
which Mr. Johnson was formerly president and is now retired, 
having sold the company. Mr. Johnson seems to be quite in¬ 
terested in the general program put up to him which agrees 
very materially with your wire, but in view of his past busi¬ 
ness experience, it will probably be necessary to handle the 
entire subject very carefully in order to interest him 
definitely in the scientific work. I think that Dr. Bartsch 
and Mr. Stirling are probably as capable of doing this as any¬ 
one who could be chosen. Since the trip will not get under¬ 
way until January 15, you will still have plenty of time to 
aid in the plans on your return, but I am simply sending this 
to you so that you can be giving the matter some thought. 
Apparently, Mr. Johnson will take along a professional photog¬ 
rapher and he Is willing to make any equipment necessary for 
the collection and preservation of specimens. His yacht is a 
very large one, 279 feet, so that any material which may be 
essential to the trip can certainly be carried. You can look 
up Mr. E. R. Johnson in "Who’s Who" in case you are interested 
in obtaining more information on him. Apparently, he has been 
connected with the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. 
I am enclosing clippings relating to Dr. Benjamin’s 
death and his funeral. The Smithsonian group sent up some 
flowers and there was a very considerable delegation at the 
funeral, probably about thirty. 
I am also sending you a clipping from Sunday’s Star 
on the activity of the Senate economy group. As yet we have 
heard nothing in regard to the hearings, but the Budget treat¬ 
ed us very well, indeed, much better than X had expected. If 
as is indicated here the beginning of the economy struggle 
starts in the House, I do not think we are in such a bad posi¬ 
tion, since the appropriations committee was fair last year 
and Mr. Wood and Chairman Byrne of the economy committee are 
very favorably disposed toward our work. 
We have about filled up the watch force end progress 
is being made in the way of filling other vacancies. We have 
sent up a redescription of the DeLancey Gill position and I 
am afraid that we will have trouble in maintaining it at SP-8 
since this is the highest artist position in the service. 
They had previously carried on a very careful study of the 
artists positions, and I asked that we be allowed to appear 
before the investigation committee and they agreed. Mr. 
Stirling and I will go up either today or tomorrow to pre¬ 
sent the case to the Bureau. 
