MEMORANDUM

The basis for the Eisenaufsatz was thus the Versuch paradigm, it had not been
abandoned, only modified to provide a somewhat better theoretical approach. In the very
first sentence of Eisenaufsatz Leontief cited the Versuch treatise and its Simultan-Methode
for statistical analysis of supply and demand curves and stated in a footnote his intention of
dealing with the criticism raised against it in an “anti-critical essay” (Leontief 1932, p.66,
fn.1).
Farewell to Europe
At the end of July 1931, Leontief received the galley proofs and wrote to Schumpeter
to say that he would send him the pages which covered the theoretical core of the treatise.
It was only one month left until Leontief’s scheduled departure for New York on 29
August. He regretted deeply that it had been beyond reach to have a chance to speak with
Schumpeter before the departure. He still hoped that Schumpeter would have an
opportunity to glance through the extract he had made while it was still possible to make
last minute changes. The treatise was above all about changes in economic equilibrium
such as they had discussed in Bonn. To finish up the manuscript of the Eisenaufsatz had
been strenuous and time consuming and the only piece of work he had got done in addition
to a review of Marschak’s book based on his habilitation thesis (Leontief 1931).
Marschak’s paper for the forthcoming first Econometric Society meeting at the end of
September was based on the book, it was a meeting Leontief would have loved to attend
but he was committed to be at work in NBER at that time. 160
At their meeting in Bonn Schumpeter had elaborated on his own work and plans as it
is well known that he did in the circle of younger economists around him at Harvard. In his
letter to Schumpeter at the end of July 1931 Leontief expressed delight and excitement that
Schumpeter’s book on monetary issues (Geldbuch) would soon be finished. He also
expressed the hope that Schumpeter would soon issue his 1908 book Das Wesen under der
Hauptinhalt … in a new edition, “Es ist so dringend notwendig”. As students of
Schumpeter know, the Geld-Buch was never finished and Das Wesen never re-issued.
In Schumpeter’s last letter before Leontief’s departure was no longer so hopeful about
the Geldbuch, as he had felt nervous and unwell. But in the winter he would devote
himself to the new edition of Das Wesen, or rather the new book that would come out of
that process, adding, “A pity we cannot cooperate on that”. 161 Schumpeter regretted that he
wouldn’t see Leontief again before his departure but hoped he would hear from in on a
curve!) would be discarded as insufficiently precise. This was a reference to the sharp criticism of
Schultz (1930), which was concerned with Leontief’s results for the sugar market.
160 Leontief to Schumpeter, 28 July 1931.
161 Schumpeter to Leontief, 5 August 1931, transl. by ob.
68