January 19, 1955

Dear Ted:
Sorrybwe had auch an evanescent visit at Washington last gonth!

Ted, I have a letter from Alan Garen asking about the chances of
a fellowship here next year, and I would like to ask your candid ad-
vice. Frankly, I would prefer to minimize the size of our group to
make 1t more nearly consistent with our Limited space and the time
ZI would like to spend on my own experimental work. On the other hand,
4t would be stupid and unfair to turn away the fellow who aight learn
from us what he needs to perfect his training, and can help us like-
wise. Still, ay expertence so far with post-doctoral fellows has not
been as happy aa with graduate studenta, and I would be particularly
unhappy to be featened with a “nerpetual fallow" who will not be com
petent and ready to move to a more perwanent position at the end of
his tera.

Alan did not state what he would like to work on; at present, we
could not possibly branch out into further lines of research, until
we have cleaned up the innumerable loose ends we already face. This
would be unfortunate in a way, as we might not be able to use the best
of the training that he has alreaty had.

I envisage two possibilities abcut his situation, perhaps more: 1)
that Garen dees not quite know what he want& to dco, and in spite of his
preseht tenure, still wants to remain a fellow, or 2) that he 4s already
a first rate researcher, but wants to broaden his background. In either
event, I should want to know giite explicitly why he is not qualified
better for his orn position rather than another fellowship. Can you help
me on this?

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg