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[[block quote]]that a further effort be made to secure applicants for the first distribution. AS Dr. Schmitt's application seemed to indicate that 1926 would suit as well as an earlier date, the subcommittee naturally concluded that it would be time enough to decide about the second award for 1926-1928, after the first term had been awarded. Hence the request that Dr. Schmitt resubmit his plan at the proper time. In fact, the subcommittee considered, and I think correctly, that it was only competent to make recommendations for the first term. [[/blockquote]]

 The recommendation of the subcommittee of which I was not a member was unanimous, and I completely agreed with them, hence I recommend to you to take the action you did. In my opinion, the report of the subcommittee so far from being "amazing" is in the best interest of the Museum and in conformity with the intent of the textatrix. 
  
May I be permitted to add that as head curator of the Department, I had another and very weighty reason for concurring in the recommendation of the subcomittee. I have above alluded to the lack of a sufficient scientific staff in this Department. Year after year this deficiency had been complained of. It is serious in nearly all the divisions. But in none more so than in the Division of Marine Invertebrates. Dr. Schmitt himself has stressed the point on all occasions, calling attention to the fact that his responsibilty exceed that of all the other curators. It has been my hope ever since I assumed chargeof the Biological Department that I mgight live to see a curator in charge of each of the invertebrate phyla. No one knows better than you that the fulfillment of this hope has only been deferred because of lack of funds. It does  not look to me as if this unfortunate condition is likely to change during the immediate future. Under these circumstances I confess that I am unable to see how I could recommend that the services of the Curator of Marine Invertebrates be dispenses with for two years. For that is what the proposition amounts to. There can be no doubt that to get the benefit of the Bacon scholarship, Dr. Schmitt would have to divest himself of all curatorial duties. I do not see how he could be half curator and half traveling scholar. I suppose Dr. Schmitt expects his salary as curator to continue while enjoying the scholarship; but how, as head curator, could I justify a recommendation to that effect while at the same time clamoring for more appropriations because his division is undermanned? This consideration, as stated above, with which the subcommittee had nothing to do, has been a very weighty contributory reason for my recommendation that no binding action should be taken at the present time with regard to what Dr. Schmitt may do or not do in 1925-1927 or 1926-1928. The recommendation to postpone decision on his application was without prejudice, and does not justify his somewhat inept question which he feels "constrained to ask, if members of the Museum staf are to be excluded from the benefits of this scholarship." Nobody has attempted to exclude him.