2110-7-5-10

[embosed letterhead: Foreign Office]

Foreign Office, S.W.1.

29th July, 1935.

Dear John,

Thank you so much for your letter in which you ask me to be President of the Federation of University Conservative Associations. I much appreciate the compliment that you and the Associations pay me in asking me to fill this office and I am going to be very frank with you in my reply.

I know that the success of the Federation is very largely due to the active personal leadership that you have given to the movement. I am afraid that it would not be possible for me to be in any way a worthy successor to you in this respect. I am already so overburdened that I really cannot add in any way to the duties I have to discharge. If the post were purely honorary I should be happy to take it, but I know that it is not and I really could not promise to be available for two days in January for the purposes of the Conference, more especially/

The Lord Tweedsmuir, G.C.M.G., C.H.

especially since that is the month in which the League Council meets. I am sure that the President who succeeds you ought to follow, as best he can, the same methods that you have so successfully pursued.

Since I know that I cannot do that , I am sure that it is wiser to say no.

Yours

Anthony

[Anthony Esten]