298. GEORGE C. MARSHALL (1880-1959) American general and statesman, Roosevelt's Army Chief of Staff during World War II and author of the Marshall Plan which sustained eastern Europe after the war. Excellent content A.L.S. signed with his initials on his personal letterhead, 2pp. 4to., Pinehurst, N.C., Dec. 22, 1953, regarding his failing health and a confrontation with a "communist" during a recent speaking engagement. In part: "...I spent 16 days in the Walter Reed and they gave me every test. There are many cases like mine, long drawn out and following very closely the same sequence of symptoms... I have largely gotten over the coughing phase which developed as usual after the six weeks. The most difficult phase to overcome was a state of complete mental inertia. I was not able to touch my Oslo lecture until I reached Gruenther's place at Versailles. There I called in a stenographer and dictated it in a hour and a half then relaxed completely until I had to stand up at Oslo and make several impromptu talks and finally read the lecture. The communist affair was mounting. The [?] gent got off but four words when and American Embassy attache klobbered him over the mouth and jerked his head back by his hair. My pilot then delivered a one-two punch and the two Americans threw him out and put him in the police wagon. The other two who scattered the leaflets fled behind and fearful of rough treatment by the two Americans crawled into the police chariot without invitation. The American intervention was not mentioned in the press reports..." In very good condition. $800-1,200