Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

When Mr. Maass received the minutes, he remonstrated with
Flexner over the mission of Mr. Stevsrt's complete remarks. Flexner
answered:
~ ~ ~~
I promised Mr. Stevart personally that his name would not
be rentioned in connection with any expression of opinion.
It seems to me that in preparing the minutes we must nake
the following distinctions: the chairman of a cormnittee or
the Director, vho rrzkes a report, is presumed to have given the
ratter careEul.thought and to be ready to stand by his words.
We can therefore be named, but the Trustees discuss matters
infomrlly znd nay vish to chenge their minds. They will
hesitate to speak freely if a pemanentrecord of their names
is made.47
Thouzh it might have been reasonable to hold that Mr. Stewart spoke with
some authority in his subject, the rktter stood thus. Meanvhile Flexner,
in an excess of caution,. asked Frankfurter if he cared to elaborate on
or correct Mrs. Bailey's notes on his remarks. 48
Two weeks after the Board met, the Director polled by letter
the menbers of the Executive Connittee asking authorization to call Dr.
Jaboc Marschak to the United States for interviews. Eight signified
their approval; Mr. Frankfurter alone opposed the idea, and vigorously
so. He challanged: (1) Flexner's right to consider a mathematical
economist without prior discussion with the Trustees; (2) and his good
faith in not having disclosed his interest in Marschak at the.last meet-
ing. (3) Re questioned the wisdom of. appointing first an economist un-
familiar with the American economy, and (4) asserted that to dall an
:mig& with temporary status for interviews over such a distance would
entitle him to believe that an appointment was assured.
Letters £lev back and forth. Flexner answered that at the
tire of the Board meeting Professor von Neumann had not finished reading