DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DIVISION OF LANGUAGE SERVICES

(TRANSLATION)

LS NO. 55893

JP/JRP
German

Hans CLAHSES
Sonnen Str. 21
D-8740 Bad Neustadt

April 6, 1976

His Excellency,
The Secretary of State

Excellency:

Please permit me to take another moment of your time.

As a 70-year-old, I am an ardent collector of autographs
of important and well-liked personalities.

May I ask Your Excellency to send me an official photo-
graph with an inscription and your autograph.

I wrote in regard to this on January 5, 1976.

I would appreciate it very much. May I express, in
advance, my appreciation for your kindness.

COMMITTEE OF RELIGION AND ART OF
AMERICA

12/14/73

New Address: 1011 First Avenue
New York City
New York (10022)
212 - 371 - 6100

December 3rd, 1973

Dear Mr. Secretary:

At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 14th, about fifty-five major art collectors, curators and philanthropists will dine privately in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. They will be guests of the Committee of Religion and Art of America and they will discuss, among other projects, the Committee's attempt to secure first rank American art for hanging in the new Modern Art Gallery of the Vatican Museum.

I spoke to Marvin Sadik, the Director of the National Gallery, and Clem Conger at the White House. I told them how pleased this group would be on the evening of December 14th if you could stop in, briefly and at your convenience, to say a few words to them on the value of art as an international medium of diplomacy for peace. They suggested I write to you promptly and invite you to join us for a few minutes on Friday evening, December 14th.

The people at this small dinner would consider it a privilege to assist our country in any confidential way in which American art might serve as an introduction or as a second step to promoting the prospects of peace in the world.

Cardinal Cooke is the President of the Committee and Lawrence Fleischman of the Kennedy Galleries in New York City is its Vice President. If the Committee or some of its members can be useful to you later on they would, of course, not have any interest except to join you in your pursuit of peace.

Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Department of State
Washington, D.C. (20520)