Sept. 24, 1922 Letter from Nellis to Pa [Frank B. Hamlin]

I Claverly Hall,
Cambridge, Mass.
Sept. 24, 1922

Dear Pa,

Along with my application for appointment to take the examination for a secretaryship in the Diplomatic Service I need two letter of recommendation. Mr. Louis A. Coolidge, of Boston, will write one of the letters. He was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Roosevelt. I think the other letter should come from a good representative Oregonian. Would you please suggest one to me, or possibly ask some one to write the recommendation for me.

Quoting from a note on my application blank it says tin part, "letters from competent and responsible persons must be filed with the Department of State attesting the moral character, integrity, good deportment, and ability of the applicant, and his qualifications as set forth in this application. In order that due consideration may be given these recommendations, the persons who vouch for the applicant's qualifications as set forth above should state the facts which enable them to do so."

I have had nearly all the courses preparatory to foreign service which the college offers, and by special permission occasionally granted Seniors I am entering Prof. George Grafton Wilson's graduate course in International law to-marrow. As you know I have already had two years of International law from him, and several years of diplomatic history from Prof. Albert Bushnell Hart and others.

If I send my application in before long I believe my changes of being designated to take the competitive examinations with the next group, probably in the spring, are good, and that will be near the time I receive my degree here.

As ever,

Nellis [signed in ink]