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57

Erie. Pa. 
Saturday, July 25. 42. 

We came [[red underlined]] home via Pittsburgh [[/red underlined]] over the main line last night, then up the Allegheny River line to Oil City and Corry - had a very fine night's sleep, awakening at Oil City and arriving in Erie about 10:30. Last night and this morning [[red underlined]] Earl Bill [[/red underlined]], who was in Washington to contact [[red underlined]] Jack Marsh [[/red underlined]] (now a Major) on some new locomotives for the War Dept., and I had a very pleasant conversation about many things and I found him very good company in a quiet way. He told me much about his trips to So. Africa and Brazil - is the type of man interested in a lot of things - a good talker and a good listener. There seems to be some [[red underlined]] friction between Earl and Jack [[/red underlined]] that disturbs me somewhat but I hope it will not become serious. 

[[red underlined]] The family met me at the train [[/red underlined]], Roy attired in new riding breeches and a brown shirt - a picture if ever there was one. Babbie is very very attractive too - they make a pair that [[red underlined]] cause eyes to turn [[/red underlined]] in many places. Spent about an [[red underlined]] hour at the office [[/red underlined]] including a talk with [[red underlined]] Henry Guy [[/red underlined]] who says [[red underlined]] C.E. Wilson turned Whitey down on my WPB job [[/red underlined]] but [[red underlined]]Whitey hoped to get him to change his mind [[/red underlined]]. Henry was as disgusted as I over the situation which, in my opinion, constitutes nothing less than a refusal by the Company to cooperate with the government in carrying on the war - WPB wants us to do it. Phil Reed okayed it [[red underlined]] our competitors want us to do it [[/red underlined]] - it is vitally needed at once - and then for [[red underlined]] Lang and Shreve to make snap [[/red underlined]] decisions over the phone is plain assinine as I see it. I am anxious for this assignment because I believe it is a real opportunity to do something important for the war and further I don't want to give up my Washington contacts.