16 January 192O  111 Harley Street  London W1

Dear Professor,

I was very glad to get your letters dated Dec. 23 (which crossed one of mine) and Jan. 6, which arrived yesterday.

You may rest quite assured, as you must be already from talking with Rank, that I have no trace of harsh feeling towards him or Abraham.  Some momentary impatience on my part, of no importance, must have produced the impression on you.  I am entirely devoted to every member of our committee (of Eitingon I cannot speak as yet, but I am greatly looking forward to knowing him).

I wonder how poor Von Freund is getting on.  It has just been decided that my Father has a carcinoma in the sigmoid flexure (colotomy, and secondary growths), and probably has only a couple of months to live (which makes my visit to Vienna at Easter uncertain).  I am very fond of him, so that it is extremely painful, and I am grateful that I have such a dear wife to help me bear it.

Two days ago I had a rather warm letter from Abraham, protesting against the Hague.  I am writing to him on the following lines.  One has to balance the necessity of enabling the committee members, and those near us, to attend with the great desirability of making it accessible (? passports) and attractive for the Westerners' (explaining the political and financial reasons).  Of the two, the former is of course the more important, and would be a decisive reason against Holland if it made their coming impossible.  But if it is possible for them, one can ask greater sacrifices from them deliberately than from the others, because of their greater good‑will and devotion.  I put the question to our society last night.  They had no personal national feelings against Berlin, but pointed out (a matter that had escaped me) that it would harm the cause greatly in England by reinforcing the view of Ψα as a German decadent science, and not an International movement which we want it to be ‑‑ they also pointed out many technical objections of an obvious nature.  My own opinion is that Holland would be incomparably better for the weal of the Association provided only that it is possible for you and some others to make such a sacrifice.  Of that you must be the only judge, and I hope to hear further from you.  In the meantime the Dutch are making their arrangements and I think are counting on the congress to help their local propaganda.  I am sure I can put things objectively to Abraham in such a way as to appease him, for he is a very reasonable and clear man.

It lies very near my heart to bring about concord and united force, for that is absolutely vital.  What you say about Brill exactly fits in with my inclinations.  He may have his peculiarities, but one can never forget that he stands more loyally than any other American for the connection with Europe, and that is a great claim on our gratitude.  I have not heard further from him.  With Tannenbaum I shall also do my best, but am less hopeful there.

By all means tell Rank to put on the Journal "edited provisionally by E. J."  I should have thought myself of that.  At the same time, I hope the Congress will decide on a central editorship, for the technical difficulties otherwise would be very great.

About Verlag business I will write to Rank.  It goes well.

Yours always affectiontely  Ernest Jones.