Cot>" to:   Mr. Hayter
The British Embassy
. for information
September 29th, 1941
SECRET,,
CP. Snow, Esq.,
Central Registry,
Queen Anne's Mansions,
Westminster, London.
Dear Snow:
I am writing to you informally about various
matters which have come to our attention recently,
namely - the memorandum from the TIankey Committee on
your requirements in the United Kingdom for various types
of scientists, and jhr what is called here an Ordway
Scheme for recruiting numbers of young Americans for
seni-ski^led work,
I have discussed both these matters with
Conant over the telephone, and I have had earlier con-
tacts with Dr. Carroll Wilson and Dr. Joe f'orris on similar
problems.
The net result, as far as T can see, is that
the Americans are unlikely to bo very helpful on the basis
of a* civilian organization.   Dr. Conant points out that
this type of administrative problem is not really the
affair of NDRC or of OSRD, and in view of its broad impli-
cations to the U.S.A.. he feels it is unlikely that there
will be any possibility of arranging the natter suitably
on a civilian basis.
As opposed to this opinion, however, Hayter of
the Embassy assured ne that there are some schemes now which
hsv§ tttttR brought to the attention of : r. Stettinius and
it;may be that effective action may result therefrom.
Conant suggests that it should be possible to
bring both the Ordway semi-skilled and the Hankey scientist
recruitment problem under a modified civilian technical corps
-2-
but our informal information hare is to the effect that
the civilian technical corps is slowly disintegrating
and that ideas have been put forward to transfer it to
the Americans for operation on a civilian basis but other-
wise on the same lines as the Military scheme for sending to
the United Kingdom technical radio people.   Our real difficulty
here is that we can find no satisfactory evidence that this
is going forward,
I have been in touch witjj Mr, Hayter this morning,
and he informs me that CriWtttS-, of the British Air Dele-
gation, who has the radio scheme very much under his wing,
has retttendto England for a short period for consultations,
and we have agreed not to press the matter further until
CriWfcC&'s return to this country with the latest British
views on the subject.
I an writing informally to you simply to keep
you in touch with the movemennt of opinion as it reaches
us. but there nay be other movements in this country with
which we have no contact, so if this letter does not square
with other Information which you may have, please do not
take it too seriously.
W.L. WEBSTER
Secretary
British Central Scientific Office
CC to Mr. Hayte*