Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

considerations affecting the mathemzticians which I may not
understend, just as it is equslly obvious that there are
questions of mocent which are bound to affect me which the
mathematicians do not understand.. . . If we are to preserve
the present cooperative relztions with the University, f am
compelled t o take into consideration factors of which no
single school is probably aware, 59
He rade his feelings as to the seriousness of the problem un- '.
.istakeably deer in the sEne letter, thus justifying his c~nclurlon thd+:
he should attend the faculty rrzetings. (See Chapter IY, p. 162)
men Professor Veblen replied that cooperatianwould be more
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difficult "under the restrictions which you are now contemplating," Flext
ner enswered kindly that he could understand that the significance of what! b
had early been undertaken vzs only slowly being realfzed, and added:
Other problats that likewise go to the very root of things E 1
may from tine to time emerge. Should such be the case, it i
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uanld, 1 think, be in the interest of speedy and intelligent
decision if we discussed them together rather than separately.
I am certain that, if 1 hzd been present et the ~eting
of the matheratical group when ry letter of December 11 r was
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discussed, it would not hzve been necessary for Professor I
von Nemnn to take the trouble of drzwing up a minute or of f
submitting it to me. On the other hand, I have no love for
emittee meetings and do'not -re to participate In them
unlesbve can save time and reach wiser decisions by oeans of
them.
There was reason in Flexner9s suggestion,. His ocqsional con-
sultations w ith Professor von Netmrann as liaison with the School perhaps
gave him insights he had not had before, when his oanmunication had been
with Veblen alone. Naw he felt thatveblen did not always represent to
him correctly the views of his colleegues, and that by the same token his
views did not always get to them through Veblen. He would have a surer
knowledge were he able to attend the faeulty*~ occasional meetings, It is
not dear hou much of the differences over post-doctoral and full-time
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