Smithsonian Institution 
U. S. National Museum 
IfVashington, D. C. 
October 30 , 1940 
Dr. Alexander Vi’etmore 
c/o American Counsel 
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Oear Alecs 
I was very glad to get your letter and Mrs. Pearson is keeping me advised 
of any notes she receives from you. I,hope your trip lAill be as satisfactory 
throughout as it has been this far. Vf . 
1. Inquiry on the general appropriation bill of the Smithsonian Institution 
has about stopped* Keddy calls up occasionally but I think he has rather lost his 
edge. We also had several inquiries on the Cooperation Bills especially those re¬ 
lating to conservation. As yet there is absolutely no indication of budget attitude 
toward these appropriations, but I am not so certain nov/ that there Vy’ill be any 
drastic cut. Possibly the election may have a very considerable effect on this. 
r 
2. The funds for cooperation are now transferred and set up in the books. 
The State Department asked for a progress report and a brief one was furnished 
them. You were, naturally, the star actor in this report. 
3. The National Academy is working on the B^fcif^Colorado Island appropria¬ 
tion. It looks as if they nay request a deficiency, though I have advised Dr. 
Abbot an. or deficiency, barring a storm or earthquake, would hardly 
exist but that they should expend their efforts on preparing their estimate on a 
new appropriation with great care. The bill you know pnly authorizes an appropria¬ 
tion. The Budget Bureau inquired as to whether our conservation funds would be 
spent on Colorado Island and thereby make an appropriation for the Island 
unnecessary. They apparently got this from yotrtestimony on conservation. They 
were informed that any work we might of necessity do on the Island would have 
absolutely no relation to the plant' to be established there 'under the appropriation 
for BjiAlt* Colorado Island and even that expenditure of funds on the conservation 
experiment on the Island was still doubtful. 
4. Vi'ork on the current change is going forward. It is expected that the 
elevator people will be in dxiring December. 
5. Apparently work is about ready to begin on the catwalk as a lot of 
steel was dropped here yesterday. 
6. Contract for the sewer has apparently been let to the American Engineer 
Company of Baltimore. After lengthy negotiations one of their engineers promised 
to report here today to go over the ground and indicate what space they want cleared. 
I shall pass the buck on this problem to the Secretaiy since his organizations are 
the ones affected. 
