Messersmith, G.S., Vienna. To James Clement Dunn, Washington.

Sending to Dunn copy of Feb. 9 letter to Secretary; sorry about its length; developments in Abyssinia and Spain for a time diverted attention from Austria and in some respects eased its international position; Chancellor made reassuring speech in Bundestag on Feb. 14; will be guided by Dunn's advice concerning London Times clippings; glad to know of Department's decision not to take initiative with Austria for reciprocal trade agreement now; doing all possible to prepare way in Austria and thinks ground will be ready before end of year; in reference to [Josef] Leopold memorandum, no one knows how many Nazis are in Austria, but they are a powerless minority; plenty of potential Cabinet material of the right kind to replace [Odo] Neust??dter-St??rmer and [Eduard] Glaise-Horstenau