April 5, 1952

Dr. C. B. ¥an Niel
Hopking Marine Statdon
Pacific Grove, California

Dear Keea:

Esther and I were, of course, a little disappointed about the summer
situation, but we very well appreciate the overriding circumatancea. I
have had to make the same regretful decision for various people whom we
might very much have liked to have visit us when there was just too little
space and tims. Do not think, however, that you have completely discouraged
us, and we may very well sometime accept your proposal to spend some months
with ycu, at a more convehlent season.

Meanwhile, 1 may take a brief look at some purples (if Perry Wilson can
provide me with the right cultures). However, things are moving so rapidly
of a sudden in our coli work that anything else would be a distraction, rather
than a diversion. fe have a system that shows several percent (sic) recombi-
nation between cells mixed for only an hour or two, and I am looking for-
ward to a struggle with microscope and micromanipulator, The more I think
of it, the more attractive appears the prospects of an analysis of the genetics
of the chromatophores. Plastid inheritance, in green plants does not rest on
so secure a foundation of fact as many people have been led to believe, and
there are a lot of potential problems. A great deal would dspend on the tech-
nical suitability of the purples for genetie work, and this cannot be predic-
ted.

Perry probably does have suitable material for a few prelininary peeps;
if not, perhaps I may ask your help. At this stage, types such as Rhsp. rubrum
or Rhodobac. palustris would appear the most appropriate. It would be best
to have cultures that can be grwgn as well aerobically in the dark as in the
light, and which form well-pigmented colonies rapidly on the surface of agar.
Perhaps this 18 already asking too much.

Ag to our local political seene, the recent primary dees not bede too well
for the chances next November. There is no Democratic candidate for the
senatorial seat strong enough to attract any nuaber of doubtful Republica.

We had hoped for some opposition in the Republican party; if Fisenhower for
anyone but Taft or McArthur) wins the presidential nomination, there is still
a chance of a Reublican fight. On the other hahd if Taft is nominated, and

the Democrats put up a strong candidate, there is a bare chance that Wis. would
go Bemocratic again (as in 1948), and (unlike 1948) carry a number of the

other offices. It's all very cqmplicated. The Prim py itself was almost unin-
terpretable, with Stagsen vs. Warren (pro-Ike) va. Taft, and a lot of Democrats
vot in the Rep. p?imary. Sincerely