Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

In view of our conversation at lunch today, do you think
that the language in Mr: Sambergez" letter and the charter
would apply to the possible location which we consfdered,
ar would it be well to ask Mr. Bhmb~rger and Mrs. Fuld to
join in a letter saying thet the vicinity of Newark can be
interpreted by the Trustees, in their discretion, to mean
Northern or Central h'ew Jersey? 8
bass replied:
.,,I an frsnk to admit that, after our luncheon conference
yesterday, I have been giving some considerstion to the
question of location which wc discussed, and while I consider
it an ideal move, I would be reluctant to assume that we
could undertake to construe the foundersp letter as giving
authority to select thls lacetion. In other words, I am
clearly of the opinion that Mr. Bemberger and Mrs. Fuld so
clearly intended Newar,k and its imadiste environment that Z
would hesitate to adopt any other view unless they first modi-
fied their lettesm9
Flexner was impatient, thinking dangerously, even wfllfng to
take advantage of a poor technicality which might have alienated b.
Barnbergex and Mrs. Fuld. Or perhaps he was trying to impress Mr. hss
wgth the idea tbt his state of mind was desperate. Ke asked &ass for
a further clarlficatlon of his views, saying that if the Board had
power to amend the Certificate of Incorporation he would say nothing
further on the subject far the present; othemise, he seemed inclined
to ask Mr. Barnbergex and Mrs. Fuld for a letter stating their willing-
ness to construe their stated intention broadly. But bass was equal
to the occasion; he said simply that he had no doubt about the Pounders'
wishes and intentions, and that nothing should be done until and unless
they changed their -views. 10
The extremity of the Directorms disquiet seemed to have been
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the signal for some raredial work on the part of Hr. LeidesdorE. Flexner
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wrote h3m the following letter whlch implies en Yn'derstanding:
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