SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
May 15, 1931* 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore, 
c/o American Consul, 
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
Mr. Caemmerer of the Fine Arts Commission called on the 
phone this morning and stated that the Bicentennial Committee had 
decided to request approval to lower the partitions in the Art 
Gallery to nine feet in order that the Mural decorations on the 
walls would be open to plain view. He stated that they had the 
assurance of funds ample to cover this work, and that they would 
appreciate an early assignment of space, in order that the artists 
might begin work. He was informed that in view of the fact that 
there were requests in addition to their own for space during 1932, 
that probably no assignment would be made until the whole question 
could be studied and a determination made as to all needs. It was 
pointed out that you would return on June 2, and that, if possible 
we would prefer to delay the whole matter until that time, since 
you were on one of the Committees dealing with this subject and 
had given the whole matter a great deal of thought. He stated 
that Mr. Moore would probably be down to see Dr. Abbot next week 
to discuss the whole subject with him, but that it might be possi¬ 
ble to delay an assignment of space until your return. 
Mr. Caemmerer was asked whether in the lowering of the 
partitions, there would be any desire on the part of the Bicen¬ 
tennial Commission to submerge the National Gallery of Art, and 
he was informed from our standpoint that this would be a very 
serious matter. He was unable to give a reply to this question, 
but indicated that undoubtedly they would not wish to submerge 
the National Gallery, since part of the plan back of this ex¬ 
hibit would be to boom the National Gallery. 
Mr. Caemmerer asked whether any definite assignment of 
space had been made in the New Building to any one else, and he 
was informed that no assignment had been made. He stated then 
that Colonel Grant had requested the foyer for this period, and 
I told him that certainly such a request had not come to my 
