54) 206-80

Guatamala City, 12-6-54

Dear Annette, Polly, Chris, Jay & Grandma:

How is my big family in Kansas? I wish you were all
here to enjoy this climate as I know the weather in
Kansas must be cold at this season of the year. In
Guatamala you can choose your weather-from hot to
frigid, or, as we natives would say ' de 18 caliente
adlafrio ‘. Mailed a letter this morning and will
probably get this short note off tomorrow Ai. 80
don't be surprised if No 2 gets to Kansas before No.
1. Also checked with the Embassy this morning but
no letter for Bee.

Diarrhoea not yet checked tho yesterday I thot
I had it under control. a few days may be required
to get back to normal.

This A.M. went down to see Mr. Molanphy of the
United Fruit Co. He is in charge of the passanger and
freight department. He assured me that I could get
a return trip on the same ship that would oarry the
care A like arrangement cculd not be made at the
New Orleans headquarters; also, he is going to check
to see when the car will arrive from Puerto Barrios.
The 4y. right of way is now open-the first time since
the slide and a limited amount of traffic is coming
thru. Then, I proceeded to the Palacio: National-
1 am beginning to recognize the Ministers by nowe
It is quite an experience to see into the operation
of the various departments of the Guatamalian Govern
ment. The Palace is as said -a building ‘elegante'
with ponds in the court as large as Potter Lake. The
doors are outstanding but are marred by having Yale
shock cylinders screwed on to their edges. The
tapestry is royal.

I went first to the Ministero de Defensa
National where Mayor Official informed me he did not
have the document in his office and would have to go
to the undersecretary of the Ministerio de Defensa

‘Nacional to see why it was not received. So, I did
so to find out what they told me Friday was not true.
After going thru the filles they found the letter with
permit was sent to the Guatamalian Vonsulate in New
Orleans where it was to be authenticated and deliver-
ed to the port of debarkation. This, they said, was
the status of the matter, could not be changed and
they would have to write for the permite ‘this would
have been impractical considering the time element,
so, I wnet directly to the four starred general-the
ministeric de Defensa National. He called in a two-
star and two colonel and together they decided to
extend me a provieional duplicate permit and they would
have the Ministero de Relaciones Sxteriores approve
ite Then the Gustoms would be infermed and the guns
could be taken from the car and held in bond until