Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

the conferences ended as Professors Alexander and Veblen were proposing
the expansion of the School of Mathematics as a reason for added sp2ce.
the restraint and good spirit reflected in the faculty letters allow no
inference that Professar Veblen had introduced the question into faculty
discussions. Thus Flexner's strongest point in opposing the rathemti-
cian's threat to discuss his problems with his collezgues appears in the
following passage of his letter of the 7th Noveuber:
Should it ever becoxe necesszry, zs 1 hope it may never become
necessary, to bve a faculty discussion on this point,
the discussion could not be limited to the mathematical
group. It would be called by me, a d would be attended by
all groups. I should preside and zctively participate, for
the very obvious reason that, leeving sll else aside, I am
far better Infomd thn anyone in any one of the groups regarding
the substance of the relationship. Any move that
st this moment suggests that the relztionship be modified,
when it is the rock on whieh we now rest, 2nd anything that
could possibly interfere with the type of collaboration which
re are trying to work out would be deplorable. In mp opinion,
therefore, and this is the result of very ~reful reflection,
the whole subject should be dropped znd the enti12 incident
regarded as closed.. .
I trust that you w ill not misunderstand this letter. You
surely know that I set the highest value upon the services
which you hzve rendered to me personally and to the Insti-
tute, but your memorandum and your letter have both disturbed
me, and it seened to me only right that f should put you quite
candidly in full possession of every doubt that has crossed
my mind since receiving
For whatever reasons, Pr~fessors Alexander and Veblen were sllent on the
point for same tfme to come, and when it was xevived, it was with another
strategy.
Meanwhile, Veblen had decided to take into his own hands, and
those of his associates of the Cmittee an Buildings and Grounds, frrmedi-
ate action to create a social center for the Institute without reference
to his position of the previous sumnex that the projected building om the