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89

Washington, D.C.
Thursday, Aug. 20, '42.

After working until 10:30 last night on a program for the small builders for first half of 1943 and also doing considerable work this morning on it, Stevenson [[underline]] decided he didn't want to place this before the [[/underline]] Requirements Committee because of lack of a specific picture of requirements and [[underline]] I think he's right. [[/underline]]  I tried to get that idea across to Charlie yesterday but without success - an [[underline]]] assumed picture [[/underline]] is not very strong, and it seems to be [[underline]] well nigh impossible [[/underline]] to get the various branches of the government to give [[underline]] accurate estimates or in fact, any estimates [[/underline]] at all. And yet we [[underline]] know [[/underline]] the requirements are there. So it [[underline]] looks like a continuation of building [[/underline]] without [[underline]] a determination [[/underline]] and under [[underline]]  close supervision of WPB to see that only needed stuff is built [[/underline]] - all of which suits me fine [[underline]] if [[/underline]] we can get the material someway. The [[underline]] priority  situation [[/underline]] at the moment is a [[undeline]] horrible mess [[/underline]] and there's a lot of work to be done on that part of it. Tomorrow  Marsh and I accompany Charlie Creasser and Stevenson to the Requirements Committee meeting which will be something. Not many people get into that august assemblage.

Today in Ellis' office I saw a big spread of the Branch organization and functions and lo and behold I was down as [[underline]] "Assistant Chief" of the "Industrial Locomotive Section." [[/underline]] That made me feel good and then I began to wonder. I think the Company would raise hell about that and also it has a [[underline]] sound of permanence [[/underline]] that I don't like too well. Time will tell.

Went to [[underline]] Carroll Hanly's to dinner this evening and was surprised to find Frank Headley there.