OF QUESTIONABLE REPUTE
November 5, 1949
Hon. Claud Bowers
U.S. Minister to Chile
Santiago, Chile
My dear Ambassador:
This is a voice from the long, long ago. It must have been about
1904 you were a candidate for Congress against old man Holiday. I
was just out of college. During the campaign you made some very
forceful and logical speeches backed by excellent oratory. I
attended and was fascinated--got the political bug. I am not
quite sure I got in on what we called the "Week's County Drive"
of your campaign, where the "small fry" in the last cars of the
cavalcade ate miles and miles of gravel and road dust kicked up
by the cars on ahead. If not, then I sure got in on them later.
My daughter, Aura May Durham, and I hope to arrive in Santiago,
December 20, 1949, during a rather extended trip into South
America. I am enclosing a copy of our alleged itinerary. We are
having considerable--very considerable--trouble arranging for
some six visas, or their equivalents. But we expect to arrive on
schedule if humanly possible, provided I retain my heretofore
good health and reasonably fair mental facilities. I have been
vaccinated and "shot" for about everything except treason, but my
lack of a criminal record is universally questioned south of the
Equator.
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