Tag Archives: politics

June 30, 1945

This organizational chart shows Walter’s Division in the USDA, just a short time before he quit. As the war started winding down, the Department shifted its focus back to its usual beat, boosting the yields and sales of US-grown crops. They also began looking for peacetime uses of technologies developed during the war, including the amazing new lousicide Walter’s group had worked on. Walter didn’t document his thinking about this, but various family stories and some of his publications hint that he wasn’t at all pleased with the idea of spraying DDT on crops. In one paper from 1945, he described the compound as “definitely toxic,” and argued that it might have harmful effects in the environment when used in large quantities for extended periods of time.

By mid-1946, he had left the Department and taken a job with US Industrial Chemicals in Baltimore, where he began working on improving pyrethrum-based insecticides.

June 30, 1945

February 4, 1942

Wednesday Feb. 4

My dear Sweetheart & Boys,

It was great to get two letters from home, so I’m sending another one. It seems ages since I left but it was just one week ago this AM that I arrived here.

February 4, 1942

Cushing came back on Monday AM and I was glad to see him. He is very helpful on this program, even if I have not yet made any fumigation tests. My first cooperators did not come through because of the effect of the gas on the equipment and the possible danger of releasing it in the city. The quantities are small but it is a tear gas. Arrangements have been made to do the tests at Beltsville where I can borrow from three different places. I borrowed a car from a third office today, and I’ll get it tomorrow. Yesterday I purchased 24 suits of underwear for prisoners of the District jail. They will be exchanged to individuals for ones that I can fumigate.

Annand & Bishopp are at the Memphis meetings, also Prof. Harned at his own expense.

Talked with Hoyt this PM. I called upon him for a little visit. He does not seem like the same one to me. Like the others (Rohner and Spencer) he is strictly in line with Annand & without regard to Strong or the past. I’m disappointed in him, but of course I did not try to draw him out or to ask for anything. A friendly visit regarding the dog fly control & the present work, then he suggested a young man from Colorado for the new work. Wakeland is here and sent word that he wanted to see me. I’ll see him tomorrow and I’ll guess that he mentions the same man. Also Cushing & I are calling on Major Stone tomorrow AM to get some gas masks, & for a conference.

Every division of the Bureau is getting a cut except Man & Animals & it is getting two new projects amounting to $94,000 on defense. Also the dog fly control program is coming back to the Bureau. I am to talk to the Biological Society of Washington on Sat. eve. 8 PM for 35 min. on “dog fly control in N.W. Fla.”

There will be no money for control of salt marsh mosquitoes & sand flies & Dr. Williams is returning to malaria in the USPHS.

With love
Walter.

Sent Kodak pictures last night. New ones not yet developed.

February 1, 1942

Sunday Noon.

My dear Ina & Boys,

Yesterday morning we had an air raid drill in the agricultural buildings, which amounted to a concentration of the personnel on certain floors at designated places. There was nothing exciting about it, but some of them seemed to like the idea of being wardens or First Aid people.

February 1, 1942

Mr. Hall phoned that his neighbor was a secretary to Congressman Sikes & asked if I would join them at noon. We had lunch in the Capitol Bldg. with the Congressman and Mr. Terry Lee the secretary who lives at Marianna. It was a sociable visit with some discussion of the dog fly control work. The Congressman asked if anyone objected to the use of creosote, and I told him that they did not make it known to me. We heard of one unfavorable comment which anticipated the use of creosote but that none was used on such premises. Also told him of the Park Supt. at Santa Rosa who wanted to know if shore birds walking on treated grass would be burned. Mr. Sikes said that not a single complaint had been received by his office, and that he had heard favorable comments on the work. They expect to get a project through for the Bureau.*

Most every research division is to get a cut, except Man & Animals. Prof. Harned expects to be reduced from $145,000 to $120,000. There is much uneasiness in the Bureau. Rumors float about on moving the whole Bureau to Kansas City or somewhere else. They have no instructions to move, but may get them. From what I can hear, Annand is making a lot of changes and they are coming gradually but fast enough to put things on edge. Different ones have told me that my standing was ace high now, with no comments on what it has been. They expect Mr. G to be shorn of most of his projects but do not say in what way. I’ve seen Bish a few times and I’ve never seen him as worried looking as at present.

There is some good news on retirements. Anyone can retire before he is 55 if he has had 15 years service, but will not draw any retirement money until he reaches 55. Then he can get 15/30 of 70% of his regular rate of pay at the time he quits. The rate increases with years of service and one must retire at 62. Dr. B is about 60, so that he could not be in longer than 2 more years. I would expect King Parman and Laake to retire within a couple of years, though I am not certain of their ages.

There will be a memo on the subject of retirement before long & it should give all of the information we want. Until then we have this to think about, and I think it is OK.

With lots of love to all of you.

Daddy.

* Remember, this was a project that involved spraying thousands of gallons of oil and creosote over the beaches near Pensacola. Priorities were different in 1942.

January 29, 1942

Thursday Night

My dear Sweetheart,

When I mailed your letter last night I thought of the Jax property & I put a note on the outside of the envelope. Could you write the Tax Assessor, County Clerk House & ask for our statement for last year. I would do this, but I do not remember the description.

January 29, 1942

This AM I called upon Major Stone and I learned more of his exact needs. When I determine the fumigation periods & can get a portable fumigation box I am to get it into use at Camp Jackson at Columbia S.C. I found a fairly good article on chloropicrin & believe it may help a lot because the Army prefers to use this material.

Miss Trembley & I called on the City Health authorities this PM & we believe we will have some addresses to work soon. Also we are getting an arrangement with the jail authorities.

This PM Mrs. Cushing was in the office and I asked her to eat dinner with me. We ate at the Chinese restaurant and she left for home as soon as we finished. She had a letter from Claudelle saying that she (Claudelle) and BM would be back on Feb. 5. It was written from Harbinger.

Permission was cancelled by the Bureau for our attendance at Memphis. This would have happened even if I had been able to go there. Bish will go but I did not ask him to read our papers.

I have been invited to talk on dog flies before the Biological Society one week from Sat. if I am here & it looks like I’ll be here. I think Mr. Stage asked Dr. Simmons to send the slides. If not, will you ask Dr. Simmons to send them to me at the Bureau. I’ll write him in a few days.

It was a pleasure to visit with Mrs. Cushing. The Bureau visits are so unsatisfactory during the day that it is a relief. There is a lot of uncertainty in the changes about the Bureau and most of the folks seem jittery. Things are not like they used to be and we have to recognize that fact.

With love to WW, Lewis, Tommie and my wife,

Sincerely & always,
Walter

January 28, 1942

Stationery from the Bellevue Hotel, 15 E Street NW, Washington, DC.

Wednesday Night 1/28-42

My dear Sweetheart,

We got to Jax just in time to get the 7:45 ACL and I arrived here at 8:30 AM and was in the office at 9 AM the new time for starting in the Bureau. Hours are to 5:30 PM now. After a conference called by FC consisting of Stage, Back, Miss Trembley and myself, which did not amount to anything not already arranged for, I went over the different places with Miss Trembley and this PM we tried to find one that would furnish us some lousy clothes for fumigation tests. We spent some time in the Dist. Jail & got some encouragement, if we can give some new underwear to replace the old. We are trying to get a dispensation to do this.

January 28, 1942

Tomorrow morning I am to call on Major Stone (alone) and see what he can do to help and to let him know I’m here etc. I think he can command some cooperation from the city, because Wash. DC City is a federal agency. Anyway I am going to try it. It is just as difficult to get things done, except more so at present. Too much red tape and increased machinery.

Dr. Wakeland is here but I have not seen him. He was appointed as a division leader for ‘hoppers & crickets today.

Think I’ll ask for a conference with Ammand & talk to him. Dog fly will be in Bureau for Gulfport office next year, at least it is lined up that way. Would you like Gulfport?

A big hello to WW, Lewis & Tommie,

With love,
Walter

January 7, 1942

Walter and Ina were together in December 1941, so we don’t have any insight on their immediate thoughts about the US entry into WWII. However, Walter’s work is about to change directions because of that. The USDA is now consolidating various research and control teams, and will soon reassign Walter to direct a project that will define both his career and the future trajectory of entomology.

Tuesday Night

May get away in a day or two but I am not having all of the luck that was anticipated. We think that time will bring consolidation but objections are not easy to overcome.

Walter.

January 7, 1942

August 20, 1941

Wednesday P.M.
Aug. 20, 1941.

Dearest Sweetheart:

We were so happy to have your card today. Could you write more often? It had seemed such a long time since we had heard.

August 20, 1941

It was a great relief to know that Dr. Arman had been been chosen Chief. It probably would have been better if Mr. Hoyt could have been, but Dr. Arman most certainly is better than an outsider. Now that the chiefship is settled, perhaps the ball will begin rolling again. I’m anxious to know what your assignment will be. I know of only one person who qualifies perfectly for Dr. Arman’s former position. It would be nice if others with more authority than I would see it that way, and would act accordingly.

All the boys are fine. W.W. is spending the afternoon at Ina Marie’s. L.D. had his whooping cough shot Saturday. Dr. Fielder used the serum that we brought. Tommy is a little cross because he is cutting some upper teeth. It is the greatest relief to be free of the worry about polio. Have any new cases developed in Bay County?

No doubt you are having a nice, quiet time without your family. We hope you are eating and sleeping regularly, and are feeling well. We miss you lots.

Honey, will you please see that the front shades are kept down in the mornings so that the sun will not fade the furniture and rug? I am so sorry I forgot to give you the key before we left you. No doubt you have received it by now.

Regards to the people at the lab and their families.

I’m sorry that the control project is so slow in going though.

“Associate Chief” is a new position created in the bureau, is it not? That certainly places Mr. Hoyt next to the chief.

Lots of love & best wishes from your family.

Always, your
Ina.

June 30, 1940

Sunday A.M.
June 30, 1940.

Dearest Sweetheart:

I’m hoping you will telephone today, but am writing this letter in case you don’t.

I agree with you that the Barrow house, 105 Cove Blvd., looks like the best bet. It looks like it is not crowded, it has no stairs, it is close to the lab and the grammar school, it rents for only $45.00, and it requires only a 6 mos. lease. The two-story house must be lovely, but $65.00 is too much to pay for a house in a small town like Panama City; furthermore, we had unpleasant experience with a long lease in Mpls. We can endure almost any unforseen unpleasant condition for 6 mos., and that will give us time to look around. Moreover, Mr. Gaddis told me something confidentially to tell you. When he saw Dr. Strong last, Dr. S. repeated that, although he could appreciate the value of your continued services in Mr. G’s division, he thought it was more necessary that you put the S.E. on a productive basis. AND he said “I’m going to need a new division chief in that work (whether it was Dr. Bishopp’s work or some other research work wasn’t quite clear to me, but I think it was Dr. B’s) and it may not be so very long off.” Moreover, Mr. G. asked him specifically if you were going to have to submit to Dr. B’s ideas in the S.E. Dr. Strong replied with an emphatic “No,” and said he was going to see to it that you did not. So, my dear young man, cheer up; your Panama City assignment may prove to be a very pleasant stepping stone to greater things. In that case, it might not be wise for us to sign a year’s lease, although we might be there longer than that.

June 30, 1940

We are enjoying Mama’s visit. I wished for you yesterday when Mama, Claudelle, Mr. G. and the boys and I took a picnic supper to Haines Point.

Don’t be too disappointed when I tell you that we received a letter from Thelma yesterday in which she said that Reitha and Boliver had married the preceding Saturday night in San Antonio in a double wedding with her roommate. Reitha had telephoned Thelma & Bob that afternoon for their consent. Reitha will finish her business course at Draughn’s in S.A. in August, and Boliver will finish his course in accounting in Uvalde in November, I believe. They both expect to work. It’s bad, but we shall have to make the best of it like we did Thelma Lee’s and Paul’s marriage. Theirs has turned out to be an unusually happy one. Thelma wrote that Thelma Lee had just won the $80.00 at the show on bank night.

Walter White has acquired a BB gun and a puppy since you were here. He acquired the latter before we learned definitely that we were going to move. Just what we shall do about it I don’t know. Lewis Dunbar is more fond of it than W.W.

We all are looking forward to seeing you on the fourth.

It is going to seem good to get our little family together again in the car and get on the road.

Honey, it is important that the house in Panama City be put in first class condition before we move in, don’t you think?

Lots & lots of love,
Ina.

It was very kind of Dr. Simmons to go to so much trouble about a house for us.

June 15, 1940

Friday night [Wrong day again, I think.]

Dear Sweetheart,

Am enclosing the pictures with negatives. The little girl’s mother may wish to borrow the negatives of LD & the little girl, or you may care to give her prints showing the little girl.

June 16, 1940

Thompson & I arrived today & we have requisitions for 51 cars of creosote oil, which will be ordered shipped when Mr. Gaddis arrives tomorrow.

I wish I knew what the Chief has in mind as to the leeway I’ll have on research. If plenty of latitude I know I can get the kind of research that is needed, but if this is not given I doubt if we will stay with it long. I don’t intend to camouflage Bishopp’s weaknesses as we have always done.

I feel that I have accomplished something this season & will get something done here. I don’t believe the Denver set up can handle a hot program, even after the help they have had this season. Yet the ‘hopper program seems definitely on the down grade, and it looks as though it will be a question of dropping men now employed on it. At least 75% could be dropped by the end of this season.

Will wait until I see you before planning to ship furniture from Mpls. Could take bids before July 1, but this appears as though we are anxious to move & I do not wish to show anxiety until I know more.

With love,
Walter.

June 11, 1940

Tuesday PM. 6/11-’40

My dear Sweetheart,

Yours of the 31st was returned to the office from you and was received today. I was very glad to read it even though you had told me most of its contents. Also the card and letters from Mother Lewis and Mother Dove were gladly received. I am not returning the latter for I am sure that Claudelle has seen them.

June 11, 1940

I thought I’d hear from the Chief’s decision today but as yet no news from him. I am wonderingif he is going to insist on my going to Man & Animals. I hardly think so, but ordinarily he does not wait this long for a decision. Perhaps he had to develop some information first.

Claude, RA & all are most cordial and there seems to be quite a change in them. RA & Messenger are in the field now. Claude has made several friendly overtures and asked for suggestions on a few things. He does not seem to lock up so much. This makes me feel better though I still feel that they regard me with some suspicion. I think I’ve helped him & he appreciates it, especially on the situation in S. Dak.

The office at Chicago has been turned over to us by Mr. Corliss and they are most cordial. Corliss, Mrs. Corliss, Mitchell, Rainwater & I drove along the lake shore Sunday. There are some beautiful places even though we do not see many in passing through the city. Mrs. Simonson did not go with us as some of her relatives took her for a drive. Mr. Thompson and I will go down there on a moment’s notice, and I imagine as soon as it is time to ship creosote oil.

The buying here is about complete and within about 3 weeks the baiting will be over except for fall baiting. Montana counties have added a little spice to the program, but other than about 5 of these counties the program has been mild, indeed. The cricket program is hardly a drop in the bucket.

I found a little hotel on Michigan Ave. with good rates. All of us are stopping there except Mitchell & I think he and Thompson will stop there. It is known as 830 South Michigan Hotel, which is the street address. So far I have had no mail sent there, but should you phone or wire at night I could be reached there OK.

With love, I am

Your
Walter.