To Marie Strakhow [Letter 296]

[Page 1]
10,000 Tampa Avenue
Chatsworth, California

March 12, 1947 

Dear “Missis”: 

Forgive me for the delay, but here it is at last. I am enclosing an affidavit of support for your use in applying for a visa to come to the United States. 

Of course, I am very eager to have you come here and to see you again. I am sorry if my silence made you doubt my interest or made you think that I had changed my mind. I was busy getting information on what could be done here to help you get a visa quicker. What made it difficult for me and took such a long time is the fact that nobody could give me any definite information here, in Los Angeles, and such information as I got was vague and contradictory. So I finally had to appeal to my attorney in Washington, and all my correspondence with him took time. 

I am enclosing a copy of his letter to me, which contains information on what steps you must now take in order to apply for your visa. I call your attention to the fact that he says you must apply at once to Mr. Duncan White, the American consular representative in Salzburg, and that your application for a visa will help you to obtain an extension of your permit to stay in Austria until you receive the visa.

Please let me know whether the American Consul finds my affidavit satisfactory. If he needs any additional information on or documents about my financial standing, let me know and I will send it. 

I am glad that you received the CARE packages which I sent you. I hoped they would help you while you are waiting for the visa. I will continue sending them. 

Please don’t worry about your being a financial burden to me when you come here. I don’t quite know how to assure you that I can afford the expense of your trip, and that I will be truly happy to have you here as my guest. As you will see by my affidavit, a guest will not be a burden for me financially, so I would like you to forget that part of the matter entirely. Should you wish to work, when you come here, I think you will be able to find many opportunities to use your wide experience and knowledge of languages. The situation here is entirely different from that in Europe, and you don’t have to worry about finding your-

[Page 2]
2.

self helpless or “useless” here. 

No, I have not heard from my sisters in reply to the food parcels I sent them. I have made no further inquiries, because I don’t want my literary name to cause them any embarrassment. 

I hesitate to write much about myself to you, since I don’t know the conditions of the mail service, so I will rather wait until I see you here in person, and I hope it will be soon. Please let me know what answer you get to your visa application. 

My husband asks me to thank you for the very nice card you sent him. It was very thoughtful and courteous of you, and he appreciates it. 

Best wishes from both of us, 

Sincerely,