I’m not going to transcribe all of these items, which should already be accessible in the public record anyway, but I think this packet of paperwork provides a neat snippet of the behind-the-scenes lobbying that was (and remains) typical in funding large pest- and disease-control projects.
February-March 1937a
February-March 1937b
February-March 1937c
Stationery from Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, Atlantic City, NJ.
Wednesday Night.
My dear Sweetheart,
Most of the meetings are over and by tomorrow noon all of them will come to a close. I have been before different groups so much that folks will look at me and think of screw worms. Judging from the number who commented of the Myiasis of Man speech, I am of the opinion that I made myself understood. I hope so, because the chief sat on the last row in the rear of the auditorium. Dr. Breman’s paper was well received, and I am continually receiving compliments on the exhibits. Mr. Hall is full of praises for Claudelle’s work. The Bureau people, including Dr. Bishopp are complimentary on the screw worm control work, and I wonder what next week will bring. They have a way of making one the King’s cup bearer for a while and then with a spanking demote him to custodian of the incense pot. I wonder if I have something in store next week. I think I am on solid ground, and the evidence I am able to obtain makes me feel that way.
December 30, 1936
The surprise of the year was Dr. Bishopp’s election as president of the Econ. Ent. Association. It was a complete surprise, and Eula Lee is as proud as a male peacock. I am mighty glad because it makes for harmony and good feeling. We need a lot of it. Our relations have been most pleasant and on several occasions I am pleased to say that I made nice mentions of him and the M&A division. There has been no evidence of friction of any kind.
The Society passed a resolution on good will etc. to the old timers including appreciation of Dr. Howard’s visit here. The only item affecting appropriations asked for an emergency appropriation to be used as & when needed for control work. From grape vine news it is my understanding that Congress will be requested to appropriate five million to be used if needed for grasshopper, chinch bug & screw worms. I have had no official word of this. In presenting needs on SW work I intend to give a very definite program with an estimate of needs. From tomorrow until Monday morning I expect to be in solitary confinement at the Hotel Bellevue in Washington. Cushing thinks I am going to Baltimore from here. He and Hall returned to Wash. today.
Roarks, Bishopp, Dr. Howard, Dr. Anderwort & perhaps others asked about you. Anderwort says that every time they have toasted cheese on crackers they think of you.
I appreciated your letter. It helped lots. With lots of love, your
Walter.
Saturday Night 6/27 – ’36
My dear Sweetheart,
Was mighty glad to get your letter at College Station during the conference and the other came this morning. Claudelle had saved one you sent to Uvalde so I feel that I am getting news more often than I am sending news to you.
June 27, 1936
The conference was first rate and we have a good bunch of men for Texas. They returned home Wednesday night and Mr. Townsend & I came back to San Antonio. R.A. came back yesterday and I met him at Austin & held a conference with the Commissioner of Agriculture. He is giving some splendid cooperation. Frank made a talk to the state veterinarians’ meeting at Albuquerque today and his resignation became effective today. He reports to the Public Health Service at San Francisco on July 1. Mr. Yeomans left yesterday for Illinois with two scouts and the third will join him at Pittsfield Sunday night. Screw worms (Americana) were reported to Dr. Bishopp and he sent Schroder to the scene. We are now getting our forces out there. Things happen so frequently and at so many different places at one time, that happenings a few hours old soon seem like history. R.A. selected a steno today and within a week we think he will have some help. Also we are trying to get Kenneth appointed as his assistant. We want to get word from Washington before we ask him to start. Rainwater is recommended for a Civil Service job at Savannah and may soon report down there. If so, and he stays at Savannah he will want a furnished place. They would take good care of our place if we rented it furnished to them.
This may be the best thing for a while, so that you can come to Texas. The screw worm control work may continue often this year, but no one can tell. The grief and opposition is more than any of us anticipated. So many things pop up. The research men are quiet now and appear OK but they would like to pin me down for something. On the surface we are getting along. The extension folks in different states are anxious for our program and this causes some worry that we did not have last year. I have not finished going through my mail for this week, that is what I should answer, so you can see that I am behind. Tomorrow I plan to get over & sort all of it so that it can be answered Monday. The wires have kept me going most of this week. So much of it is by wire. Strong is out of Washington and may show up at any place in the field at any time. He is expected in La. about now. Claudelle’s exhibit at A&M is splendid and now she is getting one ready for New Mexico for Wednesday. She visited the fair at Dallas on Tuesday & Wednesday & worked up some publicity for the one up there. It seems to be a good one.
Yeomans is apt to be in the North for about 3 weeks & I do not see how I can come East before he returns. It looks like your husband will not see you real soon, but of course it would not take long to come if I can. We have a short time to make a record in the SW and every minute counts right now.
When I get my nose through this stack of things, I’ll write more & perhaps the next one will sound more like myself.
I love you and you and you, all 3 of you and I wish I could see you.
Your
Walter.
YMCA Friday 10 PM. 6/12
My dear Sweetheart,
Guess you think your husband is neglecting writing his family. The new office and so many things seem to require some of my time. We are getting in better shape now and most of the office people are finding their duties. The office set up is first rate. Gradually we seem to be getting the sheep and goat raisers to see that our program is right. At their meeting in Kerrville yesterday they received Prof. Mackey very cordially and promised to work with us.
June 12, 1936
R.A. reacts in true form to many things. He did not favor demonstrations when the work program was written but now sees that it is the only way to get the program over in Texas. His individualistic damn cussedness has taken root in Frank, who seems to be a supporter of his. Think I can handle the situation but it will probably mean that I’ve got to dictate in no uncertain terms and see that they carry out orders. I made the mistake of assigning Frank with R.A. He should have been under a different man this year. It may be necessary to separate them yet. Frank is on the civil service list and was reached by the Public Health Service for a job at $2600 in California. He would identify fleas and mites from rats. I encouraged him to accept it, because it would get him a civil service status. I think screw worm work would profit if he accepted. Tomorrow I am going to offer more encouragement to that job. He and R.A. are going to headquarter across the hall from my office. They do not have a steno yet, and the problem is about the same that it was last year, except that they want to use my best steno. I think your old man is going to be pretty hard boiled and dictate what is what.
Tomorrow we are going to drive to Uvalde. Mr. Townsend and Yeomans want to go in Townsend’s new Packard and carry Claudelle and Miss Peets. We will return Sunday afternoon. It will probably be a week from Monday before we start the training conference at College Station.
With love to all three of you,
Your
Walter.
Stationery from the Gay-Teague Hotel, Montgomery, Ala.
Friday Night 11:00 PM
My dear Sweetheart,
Have been trying for several days to get the office moved to San Antonio, and today it looks like we are succeeding. Mr. Mitchell left about 4 o’clock with a truck load of furniture and supplies and I got away about 5:30 PM. Mr. Townsend leaves tomorrow morning in his famous car and Miss Anderson leaves by train tomorrow PM. Miss Ausley leaves Orlando Sunday and Miss Peets is to arrive at San Antonio Wednesday. I telegraphed Claudelle that all would be at 1010 Travis Building between Monday and Wednesday. R.A. and Mr. Dormand are busy on the applicants at College Station.
The air trip to Washington was almost like riding in a bus. There were no thrills connected with it.*
June 5, 1936
Mr. Strong is certainly supporting me even on protests and complaints from Dr. Bishopp. My conferences at Washington were very satisfactory. Had another complaint letter up there from Dr. Bishopp through the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers which required an answer. This was prepared for Mr. Strong’s signature. Bish had written a letter to me asking me to answer 7 questions on our recommendations for control. During the conference Strong told him that I did not have time to do that, and that the answers should come from the research unit. He told Bish to write out the answers and submit them to me. Bish is trying to get some letters in the files which can be used against me and Strong told him in my presence that he was guilty of just that.
Expect to be at Baton Rouge tomorrow night and I want a talk with Anderson the state entomologist then. Will try to be in San Antonio on Monday and will stop at the YMCA until I can find quarters for my family. This will depend on when my family can move from Savannah. Bids on the furniture moving are yet in Wash. but they seem to be in order. Bill was passed by both houses and is awaiting signature of the President.
With love,
Your
Walter.
* Longtime readers will recall that Walter’s previous experience of aviation involved Sopwith fighter-bombers over France in 1918, so his expectations for the thrills of flight might have been a bit high.
Thursday PM
My dear Ina,
Am trying to get on my way to San Antonio tomorrow, and I expect to be on the job there Monday.
June 4, 1936
The conference at Washington was very good. Dr. B. tried some funny business & is still trying but it didn’t work so well. More about this later on. He asked me in a letter to write my recommendations on about 7 questions. Strong asked him to write his answers and submit them to me.
Lots of love,
Your
Walter.
Wednesday – En Route
Train to Savannah.
My dear Sweetheart & Big Sons
Daddy flew over your house Monday night and your lights were out. I hope you slept well. I could not see any tricycles or wagons on the lawn, so I guess they were in the garage where they should be at night.
June 3, 1936
Had several letters to write for the signature of the Chief including a recent one from the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association. The last was a result of my sending Dr. Bishopp a copy of my last report on the trip to Texas. It looks as though Dr. Bishopp tried to put me on the spot on several recommendations for control, but in a conference with Mr. Strong I fared pretty well. Strong told Dr. B. what it looked like so he asked Dr. B. to write his recommendations and submit them to me for my comments. Strong is giving me good support. He stopped the flight tests too. The bill passed both houses and should be signed in a few days. We are trying to move to S.A. this week. The conference at Gainesville was very good.
With love to all of you.
Your,
Walter.
Atlanta Thursday AM.
April 2, 1936
My dear Ina and Boys,
I am at the office early this morning. Mr. Strong was here for a call yesterday PM and he spent only about 20 minutes on the conference. He seemed pleased with the progress on the new set up. We have the District and Assistant District men lined up for the Southeastern states, and their districts outlined on maps. All of these are going to Washington by mail today so that they will be there when Mr. Strong gets back. He is not coming to Savannah on this trip.
April 2, 1936
Day before yesterday I spent a couple of hours with Mr. Yeomans & Mr. Gaddis. Yeomans was not worried over a job but thought that Mr. Strong might have something as he had sent word that he wanted to see him here. Mr. Strong told me that Yeomans was too good a man to let go of, and that if I did not want him on the Screw Worm set-up, that he had several places where he could use him. Told him that I thought Yeomans did not want to leave the state. Strong did not think he should be state supervisor or regional supervisor of the Southeastern states on account of lack of experience with screw worms. He thought Yeomans would make a good right hand man for me at San Antonio, Assistant Director. I asked what salary and he saw at least as much as the regional supervisors. These are considered at $3800. Strong thinks that R.A. should be regional director of the Southwest, just as I originally planned it. Strong said it was up to me and that he was not telling me to use Yeomans. I shall see Yeomans today & find out what other places the chief had in mind for him.
It is likely that I’ll get a call to Washington shortly after Mr. Strong gets there on Saturday. The coop statements should be returned by that time and ready for a conference or for sending out to the states. If I can come home, I’ll do so, but I cannot promise it. I have a return ticket. I have the salary check and I think it best for me to get it into Express Money orders. I’ll be on the go so much, and there will be inconveniences in getting checks cashed. In this way it will not be necessary for me to write checks on an account at Savannah.
Tell Walter White I appreciate the surprise that he and Mother had for me. Also, study hard and try to get into the next grade so he can keep up with the cow puncher kids in Texas.
With lots of love,
Your,
Walter.
Stationery from the Hotel Houston, Washington, DC.
Washington, D.C. March 10 1936
My dear Sweetheart,
I wired the news by night letter and there is very little more to tell now. I am to have full charge under Strong’s office, which means not full charge, but as near full charge as any one else in Bureau. Right now I am busy trying to make set ups and detailed plans for work of next season. This to be done before the Cooperative Statement for States can be prepared. It means I’ll be here several days this time. (Will mail Income tax blank & check to Savannah). I am told by Cushing Bishopp & Rohner that the temporary nature of the S.W. program does not mean that I’ll not have a place when this is over. A place will be held open for me. Rohner insists that I have nothing to worry about on that score.
March 10, 1936
Do not know if we will have two administrative offices in field as planned or only one. Atlanta is undoubtedly too far east for a single office. Seems that Texas would be better, since program includes California. More about this later.
Bishopps were very cordial to me tonight and had a wonderful dinner. I am sure that he feels hurt. I intend to be so d. nice and cooperative, because I will not be subject to his many suggestions! I am writing Mr. Townsend & John but I certainly want the present kept secret. It is not known about Washington, even in B’s office. Parman and Babcock are to return to research. Roberts and Bruce are to be with me. All other state men etc. to be with me.
The music goes round and round but it is not coming out here very much.
There are a number of things to be discussed & all plans to be made.
With all my love, Honey,
Your
Walter
402 Glenn Bldg.
Dec. 5, 1935.
My dear Sweetheart,
I am encouraged over the report on Walter White and I believe that he is on the way to recovery. Regret very much that I could not stay over in Savannah until he was completely over the Flu. It is pretty hard on you to have two youngsters needing attention all of the time. I am glad we did not have two sets of twins or two sets of quintuplets.
December 5, 1935
We are figuring out our program costs with the remainder of our money for the balance of the year. This has to be approved in Washington by the budget office.
Cushing left last night and should be in Washington now. He is pretty familiar with the whole program and is in better shape to take care of our needs. Bish is expected in the S.E. during this month, perhaps about the 15th. Stiles is with us yet and is a problem.
With love to all of you & hoping to see you soon,
Your
Walter.