Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

destined in their judgment "to hit bottom," which could mean the collapse
of all the count~y~s traditional financial fnstitutions. What then would
be the worth of the securities upon which Mr. Bamberger and the Institute
depended for incone?
As Flexner embarked for Europe, he found himself fn a lonely
and critical situation. The keystone of his plans was to appofnt to the
leading position in the School the country's most distinguished American
rathemtician, who would be familiar with developmnts in the field here
and abread, and with its outstanding scholars and the potentials of tb
younger Ken and women in this country, Re felt that the Institute's
mission was to develop culture in the Unfted Stetes as Geman Uissensehgft
hzd been consciously promoted in the nineteenth century. As he was to
write Veblen later: "It is our prime and essentfal function...Ue must try
to develop an American culture and civilization ... co-rable in value to
those of the Western European countries.., He had counted heavily on
Birkhoff, undeniably the outstanding Amerfean mathematician of his genera-
tion, Now he must find a substitute. Re looked forward to seeing Veblen
at ~gttingen; the Princeton ran certainly did not thfnk it essential that
the new Institute must have Blrkhofft
As Flemer axrived in France at the end of April, he received a
letter from Veblen at ~Sttingen, who reported that while Dr. Weyl seemed
willing to cane to America, Mrs. Weyl seerned to be %cry satfsfied with
her position in ~Ettingen. w25 Flemer had intended to call at ~Sttingrn
first, but on hearfng of a death in Weyl's family, spent saae days in
\
Prsnce, then vent to England, where he mde inquiries ahut matkmrmtieiam
'. 1
and economists, finally meeting Dr. Einstein at Word on the 1'9th of Hay