1952–April 1953

[handwriting top left, rotated: file: Cyprus of: Fales]

April 7, 1953Dr. Rodney S. Young Amerikan Hafriyati P. K. 14 Polatli, Turkey

Dear Rodney:

I just had about the strangest proposition I have ever heard. Fales puts it this way: first, that he be allowed to continue work on the publication for the bath and the theater during the next two years; second, that he be allowed to keep the excavation records for this period; third, that if they were then satisfactory, we could get someone else to do the work, and finally, that he would give the Museum $15,000 at once, to satisfy the Philosophical Society. This strikes me as an astonishing proposition, but as I think of it, the more I am convinced that we should go along, because with $15,000 we could certainly complete the Bronze Age publications and satisfy all those problems George [handwritten: Weinberg] has raised. The question is, would we have to cut the Philosophical Society in on this money? I will see Eisenhart this afternoon, and I'll let you know what he thinks before we send this off.

Fales tells me that he was to get his notes and papers back here by the first of May so that they could be turned over to the fellow from New Haven. Isn't it possible that chap on to the Bronze Age materials, leaving Fales to fiddle around with the theater and the bath for another two years? With this cash, we should be able to finance another trip by Weinberg also. I told Fales I would not accept any such proposition until I got your approval, and he said that he came to me because of the shortness of time before the first of May, recognizing the fact that he should have taken it up with you first. In any case, let me know what you think about this as soon as possible, and do keep in mind the usefulness of $15,000 to speed up the completion of Curium. Remembering of course, that you would keep a tight rein on the funds and not let George use them to procrastinate.

I just have a copy of a letter from Eckert to McGhee urging him to get behind the excavation of the tumulous, also suggesting that McGhee get some drilling equipment from the Jersey Company in Turkey, and he also says he will see Mr. Holman, some oil man I presume, about a contribution of money or equipment. I hope this finally gets the tumulous excavation under way.

Best wishes, Froelich Rainey Director

FR:pt