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Erie, Pa.,
Tuesday, Aug.15, '39
Stibbe here today on diesel publicity and with an outline of the new leaflet on the industrial line, which incidentally, Shapter is getting into strong. In fact, Shap made the remark that in a month we'll "probably be revising the whole line" - significant words indicating he expects to have considerable to say soon. Shap is a "difficult personality", well disliked by most in the office, but undoubtedly he is a good man with good judgment and good ideas and "Whitey" I think is absolutely right to make good use of him and cut out this silly "personality line-up" of the past. I was in favor of devoting a page of the new leaflet to hydraulic drive competition - Shap was not - said it had attained no prominence yet and it would be simply giving it a lot of free publicity. After thinking it over, I decided he was correct but I do think we should get some sales arguments together on it soon for we are going to have to face it and I think it won't be long.

Devoted a large part of the day to "educating" Jim Williams on DC locomotives. Jim is a young chap, graduate of Alabama and Erie Test, who is being lined up for a Transportation Dept. job in our San Francisco Office. He was born of American missionary parents in Shanghai and lived there until 18, then college in America and G.E. He's a friendly youngster, full of enthusiasm, intelligent and can ask many and varied questions most of which are very a propos. I think he's all right.

Already we are lined up on help, getting Lenore, Viola Fenton's married sister, who will work by the hour about anytime we need her and is a good worker. So Willie's arranging a schedule. Ann