401 Cecil St.
University Park,
Hyattsville, Md.
Sept 3, 1933.

Dear Dove:

I do not know how to apologize for not acknowledging your good letter of Aug. 2 sooner. I have been thinking that something more tangible would show up most any minute, but it hasn’t yet. Let me first thank you for your thoughtfulness and efforts in my behalf, also for the nice things you had to say of me. This last year and a half have shown me that friends are invaluable.

September 3, 1933

Now with reference to Mr. Garner I don’t know whether he will do much in this case as he has never seemed very friendly to entomology. It is certain that if he should interest himself that he could be a big factor. It will certainly do no harm to have him informed. Probably if several of his Texas friends should ask him to support the work of the bureau and recommend my appointment he would take some action. Your plan to have Mr. Lewis write Mr. Garner reminding him of their conversation is sound. If you think it desirable, you could drop him a personal note confirming your conversation, but I think that letters from his Texas associates especially officers of the Livestock Assn’s would be better. Maybe a line from you to Parman would help. I don’t think he knows of the situation here, at least not from me.

One of the difficulties here is the lack of knowledge of what is going to happen to the Bureau and who is close to Sec’y Wallace and others directing the policy of the Dept. One of my friends who has been writing some letters in my behalf sent me several letters. One of these was from Asst. Secy. Tugwell (in reply to a letter to Secy. Wallace). In this he said he would be glad to give careful consideration etc “if an appointment to that position is made.” This certainly hints at a dismemberment of the Bu. or possibly a fusion. Joining the Bu. & the Bu. of Plant Quarantine has been mentioned as a possibility. A good many feel that if this is done they wouldn’t want to see Strong, Chief of Quarantine made Chief of the consolidated organization because he is not an entomologist and not a college man. This they fear would make him an unsuitable leader for research, and might cause in him a lack of appreciation of research, especially of a fundamental nature.

The question of maintaining the Bureau as an administrative unit is paramount and I feel that every entomologist should do everything possible to hold our ground. In this direction, I am working on methods of disseminating favorable propaganda. Probably a committee of the two associations will be working on this soon. My feeling is that such work should be done very quietly, that is so it does not appear to be organized. This should create backing among the public and help educate the powers that be on the importance of the science. The com. could also contact industrial, and commercial & agr’l organizations and encourage their active support. Let me have your ideas along this line.

All join in sending best regards to all.

Sincerely
F.C.B.

I understand that the Committee on Bu. affairs appointed by the 2 assn’s have filed a statement with the Sec’y outlining the qualifications of a Chief of Bu. of Ent. but not mentioning names. E.F. Phillips (bee man of Cornell) appears to be a candidate. He is chairman of the Committee.