21 April 1932  81 Harley Street  London W1

Dear Professor,

«IP4,0»You may be sure that the impressive communication you have sent round to the various Presidents will receive all the attention it deserves.  My wife and I are translating it.  I am circularising a copy of it to all our members so as to give them time to reflect on it before we discuss it at the next Meeting.«FN1.××See note 1 to letter 586.»

On the general principle of maintaining the Verlag if possible I think there will be unanimous agreement, but the discussion will begin over the question how.  In order to tackle this it will be essential to have some concrete details of the sums of money necessary, both at the moment and in the future.  I had already written to Eitingon on this point and am sending him another urgent message.

It is not easy to be optimistic over any matter involving the raising of funds during the present terrible times.  You know better than I do how bad things are in Austria, and now it is the turn of the English to be the poor cousins ‑‑ since the currency relationship is the reverse of what it was ten years ago.  Everyone here is having great difficulty in dealing with the immediate necessities of life.  One is accustomed to look to America, but all that I hear from there is that the situation is terribly bad, with no immediate prospect of betterment, and in addition the economic depression has had a profounder psychological effect in producing apprehension there than in older countries better fortified to cope with misfortune.  My chief hope is that Brill may know of some rich man who could solve the problem.

I am entirely in agreement with your suggestion that the International Association should take over as much responsibility as it can in this matter, with of course the proviso that they would exercise some control to secure a more efficient working than has previously been possible.  In this direction I had already made the suggestion to Eitingon that in the worst case the Association could acquire the rights and responsibilities of at least the official organs.

You are right in assuming in your circular that some prejudice may be voiced on the score of the Verlag having in the past been too exclusively German in its outlook and insufficiently international.  As you know, I have endeavoured in English‑speaking countries to further the same object that you describe as being the Verlag's, namely to stamp a body of literature as being entirely distinct from the medley of rubbish all around.  In pursuit of this aim we have been considerably hampered by the encouragement repeatedly given in the most official way to rival and inefficient undertakings, publishers, translators, other journals, etc.  It has been an uphill fight against the difficulties from within and without, but we have accomplished something.  As you will remember, my own wish has always been for a closer cooperation, so that all the undertakings would be entirely and jointly international.

I will of course report to you the results of our discussion as soon as it has taken place and will also write to Brill in support of your proposals to see what concrete schemes we can devise.

Apart from this, news has been scarce of late.  The level of scientific work in our Society is very satisfactory and in spite of our small numbers we are training more and more candidates.  The number of first‑class analysts is still deplorably small, and I imagine this is true in all countries.

My family is, I am happy to say, very well and flourishing, and I trust the same is true of yours.

With my kindest regards and best wishes for our mutual success in the present difficult undertaking, Yours always,  Ernest Jones