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February 16, 1956 Internal Memorandum . . " ....... Interview with Dr. Logsdon, Head of Columbia Libraries A luncheon appointment was arranged with Mr* Woodward and Dr. Logsdon for 12 of clock at the University Club to discuss the proposal that Columbia University set up a center for bankers1 papers* At the Committee meeting in Princeton on February 4th it was decided (or the Committee confirmed a recommendation of the Executive Committee) that the $35*000 which Columbia says it needs to set up this project could not be given from Committee funds, nor could the Committee assume the responsibility for getting this sum from a foundation for Columbia* The discussion of this matter at the Committee meeting came late in the day and was carried on more quickly than the amount of time and attention previously put on it would seem to have warranted. Meetings held in the summer of 1954- with such Committee representatives as Mr* Sproul and Mr. Woodward, and such Columbia representatives as Dr. Logsdon, Dr* Beckhart and Dr. Baughman of the Columbia Library, and later discussions between Mr. Woodward and Dr. Logsdon, certainly might have given the Columbia people the impression that, we intended to go after money for them. Indeed, there was some discussion of going to the Rockefeller Foundation for this money, and the implication was certainly in the discussion that the Committee would do something about it. This being the case, the first thing that had to be done was to disabuse Dr* Logsdon1 s mind of any such idea. Mr. Woodward did this with skill and tact, but it was obvious that this came as a blow, and that some way had to be found of softening it, if we were to get from Columbia the cooperation we desired. The luncheon had started with questions about the Vanderlip collection, which had been conveyed from Scarborough to Columbia University in the last few months. (It will be remembered that this was done at the instance J V Logsdon 2/16/56 - 2 - of this Committee and after preliminary negotiations carried on vith Mr* Vanderlipfs daughter, Mrs, Schoales, and vith Mrs* Vanderlip herself*) Dr* Logsdon had already reported that the collection took two trips of a truck to handle it/ and that in the process of putting it into the trucks, the confusion already existing was increased. Enough time had elapsed so that he had had a chance to go through it, and he is very enthusiastic about it* He believes it veiy richIt was also obvious that he had been captivated by the entire Vanderlip set-up with the great estate, the pleasant coach house where Mrs* Schoales lives, the big house and Mrs. Vanderlip herself* At the end of a long day's work of getting material out of the garage and into the trucks, Mrs. Vanderlip invited Dr* Logsdon and his fellow workers to have a X H H E highball, which they did with pleasure* She then decided that they must have tea, and so the tea ritual was brought into play after the highballs* Obviously he had a veiy good time in the process* Dr. Logsdon talked in some detail, as I requested, of the problems •vrfxich this collection set up. He said that when XX the classification and arrangement is completed, the collection will probably fill 100 file drawers. Ihis makes it in their terms a big collection, and we assured him that most of the collections that we had found did not run to any such size* He described the process of setting it in order, classifying it, putting it in file drawers and arranging a listing which would be useful for students. H d cut?j ^ All this conversation preceded the breaking of the news to him that $35,000 would not be forthcoming* It seemed to me that somehow we must pick him up from the depression which this news had caused him and set him on a smoother plane before mentioning the fact that we hoped he would take on the Leffingwell and Parker Willis collections. Because I believed, as stated earlier, that the Logsdon 2/16/56 - 3 - Committee had a certain obligation -with regard to Columbia University in this matter, and also because I remembered that the Executive Committee had at one time set aside a fund of $11,000 to be used for handling papers, I asked him whether "working money" would be any use to them.in the interim between now and the time when they can get the $35*000. He said enthusiastically that it vould certainly be of great use, and I then told him and Don that I intended to see if some such arrangement could be made. It was only afterward in conversation with Don that I mentioned the $11,000 which had previously been put aside for paper handling. It is obvious that Dr. Logsdon is in a difficult situation concerning these bankers1 collections. He has not the backing of Dr. Beckhart, and I em somewhat skeptical about what degree of backing he is getting from Dean Coraney Brown of the School of Business. This skepticism may not be justified, but it dates from Dr. Brown's attitude in meetings in the summer of 1955* Dr* Logsdon is subject to pressures from many departments for the collection of this or that type of PfffiE material, and unless he has backing, he could reasonably be expected not to push any particular claim. If he suspected for a moment that the Committee was not wholehearted in its desire to have him take these papers, or that they were not backing him completely, he would have every reason for pulling out without doing anything else. The fact that the Vanderlip collection is so good, and that he knows we got it for him, is a large mark in our favor. It is apparently veiy impressive to him and the kind of collection which he would want Columbia to have, etfen though there had been no Columbia demand for it. The fact that this Committee wants it is a reason for them to go ahead quickly with setting it in order, classifying, listing, and so forth. Logsdon 2/16/56 - 4 ~ At the end of the luncheon Dr. Logsdon appeared to be satisfied with the conversation* Don and I had assured him that he would have warn backing from the Committee itien and if he chose to apply for funds from a foundation in order to get the estimated $35,000* (This figure has always been a blue-sky figure* As I remember the conversations, and this can be verified from notes made at the time, they were figuring that there might be 35 collections on which they would spend $1,000 a piece - hence the $35,000 for putting in order and handling« There was no more actuality to it than this, and this should be kept in mind in all these negotiations* In other words, this is not a f i m figure specifically needed at the moment for these purposes* If they did not get the 35 collections, they would not need the 135*000* This argument makes the offer of working money perhaps even more logical than it might have seemed otherwise.) Mr. Woodward is sufficiently impressed with the idea of providing working money for them, so that I think he will bring it up at the next meeting of the Executive Committee. It probably would proceed better within that Committee than in the full Coaosmittee, though, if neceseary, it can be brought up to the latter. It must, however, have the backing of both Mr* ¥oodward and Mr* Sproul, and preferably Mr. Burgess* Otherwise the whole Committee, which has not participated in these negotiations, is very likely to brush the thing aside, which would be not only a great pity, but also would be a failure to recognise what are to me the clear obligations of the Committee in this matter* MA:IB
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