110.15 Mc/2–2150
President Truman to the Emperor of Ethiopia (Haile Selassie)1
Great and Good Friend: I am sending you this letter by Mr. George C. McGhee, Assistant Secretary of State in charge of African affairs, who is making a visit to your country as a representative of this Government.
The excellent relations which presently exist between our two countries are most gratifying to me. I take this occasion to reaffirm to you the whole-hearted desire of my Government to maintain and strengthen these relations.
We in the United States have followed with interest and admiration the continued progress of your country, since the end of the war. I have been particularly impressed with your personal interest and success in expanding the educational facilities of Ethiopia. In this regard, I am informed that a new university is now in the process of being established. You have my sincere best wishes that upon its completion it will serve as a monument to your splendid efforts in this field.
I avail myself of this opportunity to wish you much continued success and good health.
Faithfully yours,
- This draft letter was transmitted on February 21 by Secretary Acheson to President Truman for his signature (110.15 Mc/2–2150). Presumably the President signed the draft and McGhee delivered it to Emperor Haile Selassie during his audience on March 15. McGhee had arrived in Addis Ababa on March 14 after serving as chairman of the Conference of U.S. Diplomatic and Consular Officers in West and East Africa held in Lourengo Marques, Mozambique, from February 27 through March 2. Prior to the conference McGhee had visited Liberia, where he delivered a similar letter to President Tubman.↩