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104

has been fiddling with the thing for over two weeks ago and is the most unsatisfactory bird to deal with I've yet encountered. I think it simply means [[underline]] WPB will have to take over the allocation decisions [[/underline]] from the other branches because we can't work like this.

The [[underline]] material procurement [[/underline]] situation is in a [[underline]] mess [[/underline]] with no adequate priorities to secure [[underline]] fabricated parts. [[/underline]] 
[[bracket]] I went over to see Cheney of Construction Machinery Branch about some help getting engines and I simly wasted my time. He had nothing to suggest except upgrading job priorities which Stevenson is against because it's simply some more priority inflation that we're suffering from now. Cherry and his crowd talked glibly about substituting other makes of engines which isn't easy to do in a hurry. He pointed out, and correctly, that warnings had been raised about Caterpillar and Cummins but the builders have paid them insufficient heed including G.E. I did induce our crowd to go Buda on the 44 ton partially and on the 45 ton to the extent of a sample loco which will help some [[/bracket]]

When [[underline]] evening [[/underline]] came I was in a mood to go out and "tie one on" and hooked up with Francis [[underline]] Suleski. [[/underline]] We had three scotches in the Mayflower cocktail lounge where I saw the beautiful blond Mrs. Sturgeon of ASF having a few and some dancing with a slick dark haired bird I've seen around our place sometime. I wished I were in his place for the moment. I tried to show Francis some good spots because he doesn't get out much and loves it. He remarked at the Mayflower that his wife would love this and I knew Willie would too. We went to the New Orleans for dinner, found "Angie" (Dominick) has been fired and replaced by a buxom negress with a fair voice. But the food was marvellous.