Messersmith, G.S., Havana. To Raymond H. Geist, Washington.
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University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
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Moved into house Thursday before Easter and getting comfortably settled; recruiting staff of servants; house all on one floor; wife's knee still troubling her; [Frederick] Larkin coming in April to open bids for new residence; life in Havana very pleasant, but can see that, officially, will have hands full; read with interest Departmental order creating new Division [of Commercial Affairs] which Geist will head; hopes Geist will find good man to help; glad Geist's sister has arrived and that they are getting comfortably settled; sorry not to have seen sister before leaving Washington; is certain everyone looking forward to return of [Sumner] Welles [from Germany]; hopes trip will prove useful; hears troops concentrated on Dutch and Belgian frontiers again; may be bluff; thinks Germans will try to use Welles to get U.S. to make move leading to negotiated peace; unthinkable that U.S. should lend herself to such maneuver; little doubt Hitler and [Joachim von] Ribbentrop will urge on Welles desirability of sending Ambassador to Berlin; dictators do not want to talk to Ambassadors, but want them there for their own prestige; to send Ambassador to Germany now would be equivalent to bending knee to Hitler; [Alexander Comstock] Kirk in Berlin and can do anything U.S. needs to have done there; shall miss association and daily contact thought of when Geist's new appointment planned; is certain Geist will do good job.