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take back to Erie tonight to get things going first thing tomorrow. Knox, a civilian tank designer, and Proske whom I met last winter, gave me all they could which wasn't much. Knox had no doubts as to his ability to design a mechanical transmission for this - which may have a single Wright Cyclone 900 HP 2300 RPM engine - personally I think he has a sweet job on his hands. So, about noon I departed with the precious drawing and a book of notes to fly to Erie via New York this evening. It would have seemed like an ultra dramatic situation to me a few years ago, but somehow I didn't feel too thrilled. I guess I'm getting used to things like this. The thing I thought most about was how inefficient and unbusinesslike and childish this all seemed - the U.S. heavy tank being handled in such a dither. It would be hard to imagine things being done that way by Hitler & Co. - it seemed they were just stampeded, in a fog of hurry and nerves that appeared terribly - well just inefficient.

Before lunch, Blair, St.L. Emmet and I went over to see Comm. Uehlinger on 5/38's and to my surprise, Uehlinger didn't seem to know as much about the situation as the Gun Factory - in fact he seemed to be taking his orders from the Gun Factory instead of vice versa on the way the procurement would be handled. This interview, which took place in the hall of the Munitions Bldg. and lasted about 10 minutes, was really what I came to Washington to attend! We went back to the Carlton feeling these men