MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY > CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

Dec. 30, 1943.

Dr. Viktor Hamburger, Zoology Department, Washington University, — St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Viktor:

I now have a letter from Dr. Hanson in which he outlines the aid which they have given to Holtfreter in the past. He also mentions that he wrote a strong letter of recommendation to Mr. Moe of the Guggenheim Foundation recommending Holtfreter for a fellowship. He stated that in his opinion it would be a very good thing for Holtfreter to spend his fellowship year in our labora- tory. He voints out that it is against the pvolicy of the Rockefeller Foundation to attempt to take a part in eft OGRine Holtfreter' s entrance into this country.

Yesterday, while I was in New York on other business, I dropped in on Mr. Moe and had a chat with him about Holtfreter. There is no question at all that Moe appre- ciliates thoroughly that Holtfreter is one of the leaders in his field and tnat everything possible should be done for him. He did not say so in so many words, but from all he said I gathered that all that is necessary for the Guggenheim Fellowshiv to be settled is a formal aporoval of his Board. Moe himself has apparently decided favor-— ably already. Moreover, Mr. Moe agreed that our labora- tory would probably be a good place for him to spend a year.

Accordingly, it appears that ataneinies is all set if Holtfreter wishes to come here. Concerning his entry into the country, Mr. Moe indicated that he would probably aporoach the proper persons in the State Department to make recommendations to bring this about. I am informed that he knows his way around the State Department very well, Nevertheless, I told him that if he wishes addi- tional backing from the Institute we will be very glad to make it available. So, at this time it seems quite pos- sible that Holtfreter may be here in the near future. z have not received any communications on the subject from Holtfreter himself. Perhaps it would have been more or- thodox for him to have written me first, but under the