Reprinted from PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH ACADEMY . 169

In Defence of Learning

I 102 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 103

From 1942 to 1944 both ES and EB were in Cambridge, where they all to dissuade you; I'm only rather sad at the suffering that is bound to be remained close friends until ES returned to London in 1944 to run the Society in front of you, and is inevitable really, for you go back a different person for Visiting Scientists (SVS).2 Their friendship continued after EB's return from the one who came over. You have not only lost a few illusions but you to Austria in 1947 until his death in 1983. EB only visited Britain once, in have gained new knowledge. Theoretically this ought to be all to the good, 1948, and after that he and ES met on only one occasion, in Yugoslavia in but .... You see, what I'm afraid of is that you will find the 'irrational, 1959. EB did not return to the UK because he supposed, correctly as MI5 mystic, pre-bourgeois' outlook you mention still all too widespread, and in files show, that he would be refused entry or even be detained and possibly pI aces where you will think it should not be. You may find yourself called charged under the Official Secrets Act. ES may have suspected this, but never a 'traitor' by enthusiasts without your knowledge, experience and love of allowed herself to confront the issue directly, either in correspondence with truth as truth. All love, Tess. EB 01' in conversations with me, but she often suggested to hirn that he should 28.2.47. My own reaction is conditioned by factors you wouldn't yourself visit again. take into consideration. There is firstly the purely selfish element: I hate Instead, we have their many letters. The extracts given here relate to the to lose a friend, especially a friend like you. I know 'lose' is not the right foundation of the Academic Assistance Council, ES's beliefs, my father's expression, but there is the definite physical loss involved. Then there is memories much later of what her help had meant to hirn personally, and a mixed selfish-altruistic factor: I have the idea of your suffering, and it the state of the world. Other regular topics are their work, her musical seems to me that you are in for a good deal of suffering and bitter disap­ activities, the comings and goings of mutual friends including L. Kowarski, pointment. You think you are going back with few illusions, but I'm afraid J. Gueron, and O. R. Frisch, all of whom they knew from Cambridge days, you will find you still had some to lose, and it will be painful. That pain and my development. My parents had separated in 1940, and I stayed in I would have spared you, if I could. When you put the question What do Britain with my mother when EB returned to Austria. ES had contact with we live for? as you do, I can't answer; that is a religious question, and you me and could pass on my news to EB between my visits to hirn. Over give the only possible answer for me, as I'm 'religious' too. The question the years she documented with much pride how her proteges became suc­ arises whether your picture of the role you can and must play is right or cessftll and joined the British intellectual establishment. The emphasis in not; whatever the answer, I see you've got to try it out. By the way, it's this selection is in representing her own attitudes and achievements in her not fair to see only one alternative to going back and fulfilling the task you own words.3 have set yourself, that alternative being merely to exist as a 'full-time sci­ EB always intended to return to Austria after the war, whereas ES tried to entist'. I don't cast you for that role; you mention Frisch- it is all right for dissuade hirn: . hirn, because he never has had a social consciousness, as far as I can make 21.2.47. As a matter of fact, I rejoiced in your-'assimilation' is the wrong out. No, heaven knows that in this country we need more scientists with word-I can't think of the right one-your fitting in over here because an active social conscience. I think the material is there, but it's dormant when you first came I don't think you were prepared to envisage such a and the Sleeping Beauty needs to be roused; the atom bomb seems to have thing. I say I have rejoiced in it, but there is another side: it makes me hate made it turn over in its sleep, but it sleeps on, maybe a little uneasily. And it the idea of your going back to Austria more and more. I'm not trying at is our scientists over here who could be such a force, so much more so than in Aust.ria. And in Austria, I can only pray that you will have the opportu­

2 For reasons of space, ES 's description of her work for the SVS and its frustrations have unfortunately nity of doing what you are setting out to do, that you will be in a position had to be omitted in the extracts published here. The SVS was founded in 1944 on the initiative of to do so. I'm so afraid that, apart from the tremendous forces of re action a number of refugee scientists. ES was its assistant secretary combining this with the secretaryship massed against you, political and ecclesiastical (same thing), you may not of the SPSL when the latter returned to London in 1951 (where it was based in the premises of the SVS until the latter's demise in 1966). For a history of the SVS, see R. W. Cooper, (ed.) Retrospective find the support where you most expect it. You have to try, I see that, but Sympathetic Ajfection.: A Tribute to the Academic Commun.ity (Leeds, 1996), pp. 119-69. I don't want to see you waste yourself. You have such a tremendous con­ 3 Readers who wish to know more about ES and her life shou ld consult the Brotherton Library of tribution to make to the world, Bert, I believe that-so I don't want you to the University of Leeds, which holds her extensive personal papers. See also the Introduction to this volume. squander it. There is a field here, and if things prove impossible in Austria, 104 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 105

you must come back here. 1'd like just to make this clear: I don't believe In 1950 EB was struggling in Austria. He had a research group, but any situation is in itself impossible, but it may be that what you can do best because of his communism he was denied an established post, and so had is to fire others rather than carry things out yourself; I don't know. But for to finance his group and his own support out of grants. Moreover, he was very God's sake, don't waste yourself. That's all. worried about the Cold War and the threat of nuclear conftict. He also had several personal difficulties, and had been refused entry into both France and In May 1947 EB left for Austria by way of Italy, where he married a Switzerland. The letter to which ES refers has not yet come to light. Her letter Yugoslav, Ina Jun, whom he had met before the war. She had been malTied is a strong statement of her own beliefs: before, and had a son, but both husband and son were murdered by the pro-Nazi Ustachi and she joined Tito's partisans. Through diplomatie con­ ES, 18.12.50. Bert, my dear, your letter was almost a farewell one. I refuse tacts, ES had facilitated a visit by EB to see her in Rome earlier in 1947. The to accept that. The world is crazy, and wicked, but there are still people in malTiage ended in 1952. it ready to try to bring sanity into high places. The most appalling thing ES 16.5.1947. I hope to goodness your food arrives safely in Vienna. A to me is the general apathy, which is a resigned acceptance as inevitable little while ago· Miss Ursell sent me a copy of a letter received by the Royal what is far from being so. Of course I get very impatient at the blunders Society from the staff of the Meteorological Institute in Vienna. It was and worse of the so-called 'West', but I wish to goodness I could be like a curious letter. They asked the Royal Society to send food parcels, as some I know and see everything quite simply as a pull of all-black against they were too poor to be able to buy on the black market, and pointed all-white, instead of a tug-of-war between various shade·s of dirty grey, out that there had been similar action at the end of the 1914 war on and how dirty!-on all sides. As I may have said before, the heads of the behalf of university people. The letter really makes curious reading; it leading diplomats of all the 'powers' need knocking together. If one puts gave me quite a jolt. No doubt these people are hungry, and poor; but truth above expediency, then there is no 'side' one can be on in a struggle the letter takes it for granted that it is our job to succour these people of this kind. I hate hypocrisy, wherever I see it, and I loathe the misuse of precisely as we did after 1918 and shows no sense of responsibility of words which once had a meaning, so that we have the reverse of the Tower any kind. It happens that I myself took an active part in that post-war of Babel, and a much worse situation, when we all use the same word, and action; it was called the Imperial War Relief Fund and had branches in me an by it wildly opposite things. all the Universities; I was secretary in Leeds, and had my collectors in all All the same, though I don't think the end is yet, 1'11 fall in with your the faculties. Reading that letter, I got avision of this going on for ever mood and in a way make my testament. You speak of our friendship; and ever, to all eternity-a war, relief to the hungry, especially their chil­ weIl, to me human relationships are the most important, because the most dren, the children growing up to start the same game again, more war, constructive creative factors operating in this world of woe. The human more relief and so on ·ad infinitum. I recalled the creatures I met myself at individual is wh at matters to me, not 'humanity' and certainly not any the Friends Centre in the Singerstrasse; as children they had been taken Moloch of a 'state' which purports to speak for 'humanity'. My parents for years into English hornes; the Quakers had started a club for them were immigrants to this country, and they never assimilated. I was born to keep up their English and help them as they grew up-and they grew here. By virtue of my background I was able to have a more objective up into Nazis. I feIt Iwanted to write to the staff of the Meteorological view of the country than others, and thls was strengthened by my living Institute and say: will you kindly tell me just how much help you gave in other countries. England is full of faults, and these hurt me because to any of the groups persecuted by the Nazis-Jews, political prison­ I feel part of England, in spite of my parents' origin. At first I accepted ers, slave labourers? Which is all very bad for my morale and not at all my environment by imitation as all children do, but later I accepted it con­ the way a Quaker should feel. Only a letter like that depressed me, like sciously as the milieu which of all those I had experienced best served the talks I had with the German scientists who were brought over here. my faith, viz. the establishment of decent, friendly relations between man No sense of personal responsibility whatsoever, not even a tiny part of and man, the respect of each individual, the tolerance of the unfamiliar. a collective responsibility. But why do I tell you this? As though you Of course this is not uniform-there are wide gaps, but one has to go didn't know! by the people one most comes into touch with. I see these values now 106 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 107

in danger, but not yet perilously so, or fatally. We have a chance to save had worked with Einstein at Princeton, returned to Poland in 1950.5 ES was them. What I cannot do is to let my idealism for this country-by which sceptical about this: I mean my desire that it should be perfect and my consequent suffering ES, 13.8.51. Yes, I have no doubt that science is having a good break, and that it is not-blind me to the beam in the other fellow's eye; I can't fall that Janossy has a lovely position, as Infeld has. But as you know, while for another system simply because mine isn't perfect, because I am only this is an important improvement, in my scheme of things it does not in too conscious of elements in other systems which make for the destruction any way compensate for other aspects-my interest is in saving life and of the values which I believe in and without which no decent human inter­ the preservation of what is best in the human spirit .... As you say, it is course is possible. Don't mi stake me: when I say I feel part of England, it time you came over here again. Why don't you try? On August 2nd the isn't out of any chauvinism-it's a mixture of the consciousness of priv­ furniture and files of SPSL came from Cambridge, and I am once again ileges enjoyed during my childhood that my parents never had, the real Secretary of SPSL. There is rather a lot to get hold of, after seven years' affection I bear for what is best in the English character and institutions­ absence. I have kept in intimate touch, but the bulk of the work is accounts, but I believe that I have to belong to the world too; I do feel a citizen of and I never used to do those anyway. the world. England so far allows me to be that-far too many countries would not. EB expressed his opinion of the Anglo-American position in the Cold That's enough of that, I think-far more than I intended to say when War, in response to words of ES on the resilience and independence of the I started. I must only repeat that I value my personal friendships above British, as instanced by the spirit of 1940: anything else, and shall not renounce them. In this I differ from some of EB, 29.8.52. Now concerning your views on the present situation in my dearest friends - to put it plainly, there are no circumstances in which I Britain. I am afraid I cannot share your optimism. I do not think the fact would have them eliminated or liquidated or whatever other term becomes that Britain has repelled the Armada and the Nazis, gives the British the current, whereas I know it wouldn't be the other way round, even though it right to sit back complacently and think 'Let's not worry, everything will was not I who had changed at all, but the circumstances. be all right in the end.' Incidentally, without the Chamberlain policy before 1939 millions of people would be alive now who are dead. And as regards ES 1.3.51. Obviously we can't carry on philosophical discussions by corre­ the present position, I cannot help viewing with a shudder the transforma­ spondence, and I wish we could meet. This is a testing time for all men of tion of England into the main atom bomb base of America-perhaps very good will and I think especially for those who like me who could be eaten soon of Messrs Eisenhower and Nixon. No, I cannot share your optimism. by lions and eagle.s and bears [i.e. British, Americans, and Russians], sim­ Had the British pursued a more independent policy, the world would not ply on account of my wanting them to live ... . As far as I am concerned, be in the sorry state in which it is now. I hate to think of all these things I can only go on living according to the principles I have tested out in the aH the more as-as you weIl know-I am very fond of many things in course of a lifetime, i.e. concentrating on the creative, not the destructive, your country. helping people to know each other and to know themselves too, and fight­ ing as only a pacifist can fight against the false and destructive principles In August 1953 my mother, Hilde, married Alan May. He, like EB, had behind the catastrophic lines of action taken by individuals and by Gov­ been in the Atom Project in the War. In 1946 Nunn was convicted und er the ernments, and it is primarily a fight on behalf of truth - truth in public Official Secrets Act for giving information on the project to the Russians and utterances, truth in private dealing between man and man. sentenced to ten years' in prison. He was released at the end of 1952. Hilde met hirn shortly after. In writing to ES, EB downplayed how weH he had Lajos Janossy was an eminent Hungarian physicist who spent the war in Dublin and Manchester, and then returned to Hungary.4 Leopold Infeld, who 5Infeld spent the war in Canada but after the war was acclIsed of having 'Cornrnunist sympathi es' because he joined E instein and others in opposing further lI se of the nuclear bornb. After hi s return to Poland in 1950 he was stripped of hi s Canadian citizenship: see Leopold Infeld, Why I Left Canada: Refiections on Science and Polities, trans. Helen Infeld, ed. and introd. Lewis Pyenson 4 Janossy's stepfather was George LlIkacs, the Marxist philosopher. see below, p. 109. (Montreal, 1978). 108 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 109 known May. As mentioned, EB hirnself also gave information to the Russians, automatically has a quota of such things and no-one ever thought of me as was suspected by the British Security Services. In his correspondence with in such a connection. It was an awful shock to me. ES he does not react to ES's strictures on Alan, which of course applied to EB , undated, first half of 1957. The events in Egypt and Hungary have hirns elf too, had she allowed herself to think of the possibility. In the same upset us all very much - in particular those in Hungary, not only because of letter he first informed ES of his divorce from Ina, and the larger part of her geographical vicinity. It is not a pleasing sight to have 170,000 Hungarian reply concerns this topic and her view on marriage in general, a subject that refugees here, the large majority obviously very decent, hard-working peo­ she returns to at length after they met in 1959, when she also met Ina in person pie, by no means remnants of ruling classes. You know as weIl as I do, what for the first and last time. large proportion of scientific workers have left their country, among others. EB, 27.9.53. About Hilde you will have read. You know that I knew the The loss to Hungary will not be made good for many years to come. How­ husband only slightly in 1942, and have met hirn only once in 1946, but he ever, the matter has far wider implications, and a lot of rethinking has to always appeared to me, as aperson, as pleasant. So I hope the two of them be done. Moreover, the prospects of peace, which seemed comparatively will be happy .together, and I am very glad to think that Hilde can now steer bright recently, have suffered. WeIl, what am I telling you? Incidentally, a quiet course for the future. Paul is on good terms with his stepfather. you willlike to hear that I had a letter from Janossy that personally he is all right though I suppose he must suffer from the fate of his stepfather ES, 30.10.53. I am glad you are so pleased with Paul, and I wish with all Luk::'ics and his mother. From Pola?d I have heard reliably about a wave of my heart that he can be happy and fulfilled. I don't know his stepfather and anti-semitism. A large proportion of the few Jews stillliving there want to I can't be wildly enthusiastic about this addition to the family. You see, leave the country. It is all very depressing. while I know that he acted according to his own code, I believe that code to be fundamentally wrong, disruptive of human relationships which can only ES, 1.6.57. This is the first personal letter I have written since be based on truth, on personal integrity. I believe his action to have been Christmas . . . I have had to cope with a large volume of extra work caused utterly wrong - really in the category 'sin', not a mere contravening of a by the Hungarian exodus . .. I have been dealing with about 50 displaced regulation like having a drink in a public house at an illegal time. Thinking Hungarian scholars, and the problem is a very difficult one-quite different as I do, you can't expect me to be enthusiastic at the idea that these values, from the pre-war one. which I consider to be so wrong, should be put before Paul as the correct EB, 17.9.57. I was invited by Unesco to be chairman of one oftheir sections ones. Love, Tess. at the present Paris conference, but this has been prevented by our Minister 4.7.1954. You will have seen that this spring I got a further crop of FRSs of Education. On the other hand, all Nazis are back in their positions of (including Perutz)-'my' total is now 26! Not only that- I now have 'my' influence. first knight. I always said it would be [Francis] Simon (for a whole lot of ES, 29.5.58. I can'tjust now take up with you the whole question of cap­ reasons) but I didn't think it would be quite so soon. With this honour our italism and socialism. As a life-long socialist myself, I don't believe in refugee work has really come of age-it's 21 years since we started. SPSL privileges for one group and lack of them for another, just because the remains in existence; we keep a hard core of elderly scholars, who are groups have different names. On the other hand, living in a country which really life pensioners, and are ready to take in any new appropriate appli­ has a 'welfare state' and where the general standard of living has gone up cants. But the situation is different from 1933; then, displaced scholars got to an extent undreamt of by an earlier generation, and where the highest out and came over. Nowadays, they get stuck behind a curtain-whether education is not barred to children of ability, wherever they come from, iron or dollar, it is still an obstruction. I realise more and more that privilege entails obligation; that where there 8.7.1956. You will be scandalised to learn that my name appeared in the are rights there are duties also, and this alas! has largely been lost sight of. New Year Honours List- OBE. I can't find out how or why, but I have Equality of opportunity must entail equality of service, if the whole thing good reason to think it was largely due to the work for academic refugees. is not to end in chaos. You need planning and organisation for drawing It caused quite a f1utter, as SVS is not a government organisation that up an economic system, but you must have ethics to make it work. Some 110 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 111

of the Hungarians I interviewed were not allowed to stay in their profes­ It has not only been your power of discrimination between genuine sional jobs because their parents had not been manual workers, nor could and phoney and your sheer efficiency and tenacity that made this achieve­ they have their children properly educated. The master-employee relation­ ment possible. (An efficiency that I initially took, in my ignorance, as being ship has merely been reversed, which is capitalism just the same. Unless the inheritance of generations of North English nonconformists ... ).6 The there is reverence for each individual as a human personality, there can be other pillar has been your human approach, your interest in the individual, no ethical system, whatever labels you choose to stick on people-these your readiness to act for real persons, not numbers. Never in my life I have make them only ciphers, not human beings. Man's inhumanity to man has found that particular combination again, and I think that this combination the same smell whether the boss is an emperor, an industrial magnate, a has dominated the feeling of everybody in your sphere. former school teacher or a former swineherd. I shall leave the statistics to others. But allow me to recall on this day That you should have been prevented from taking part as section chair­ a few moments of a now distant past among the many that remain in my man in a UNESCO conference I find abominable. The fact that this sort mind. I remember the first visit to your office - there was tea. I had been of thing is 'practised in countries of other political persuasions doesn't pressed by friends for a long time, and had been hesitant to call. I dreaded excuse it as far as I am concerned. We'll get nowhere by that SOtt of the inevitable question of my official status at Vienna University; how tactics. could I expect an Englishwoman to understand that in the 'thirties there could be no official status for a left-winger in Austria- even if he were far ES, 22.8.1958. You have probably received a questionnaire from Lord better as a scientist than I? But you inspired confidence. There was also the Beveridge, who is writing a history of the SPSL. AIthough our commit­ moment when- again with hesitations-I asked you whether you would tee said I was to be spared work on this, it has fallen to my lot to try to like to see the baby. Through you I obtained my first real job in England­ trace the 2600 scholars we had on our books during the war, and that has as a matter of fact the first real job as a scientist at all , in the sense that kept me in the office for months now until after 10.30 pm. Even so, many there was official status and payment (fI5) every first of the month. That are coming back undelivered. However, we shall get a sufficient response, work on visual purpie is still the work to which I most like to think back; I hope, for Lord Beveridge's purpose. He wants to show-or indicate-the quiet, concentrated work by myself in a most interesting field. tremendous contribution to science and learning made to the countries of In the war, internment- and you wrote that you would leave no stone their adoption by the scholars and their children. unturned to get me out. And you did get me out, and gave my name to ES, 22.7.1965. I was very glad to have the reprint of your article on genetics my old acquaintance Halban, meanwhile arrived in England. The work in in the USSR. This is a subject on which I have feit very strongly from Cambridge where you appeared later. Less satisfactOl'y work from the point the very beginning. What upset me was not so much the attitude taken in of view of the individual scientist, perhaps also danger of corruption of the USSR under Stalin, and subsequently by Khrushchev, but the lack of character, but fascinating in the sense that new worlds opened to my eyes, integrity shown by some of our own scientists, who should have known worlds of which I had had hazy notions only before. Some walks with you, better, and indeed did. They committed what I call the sin against the Holy Madingley Road, some boat trips (again with tea) on the river, your interest Ghost, and a scientist who does that is not a scientist. in Paul, in the end farewell. I often asked myself (and others asked me even more often) whether EB, 5.6.1966. Many people have grounds for delight on this day when you I was right in returning to Austria, a country whose mind appeals much less will be honoured by the large number of former refugees who have every to me than the English mind. Revolving around the Opera, the Salzburger reason to be grateful to you. Whoever has access to the files of the Soci­ Festspiele, the Spanish Riding School, and the Heuriger. Still, man is deter­ ety for the Protection of Science and Learning can make an estimate in mined not only by the present, but also by the past, and it would have been statistical terms how many people owe it to you that they escaped from dishonest for somebody with my past before and during the war to say the barbarians, that they established themselves, that they found a conge­ 'Personally, however, I choose England for my life.' So I do not regret nial place of work, that they could indeed contribute again to science and

learning- quite often more than before. 6 See the Introduction for abrief account of ES's background. 112 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 113

my return, and happily I have been able to do a few things here, in the Iwanted to tell those present, and also those who could not come, that it University and elsewhere. was for me to thank you all, not the other way round. The work for you was Meanwhile the correspondence with you-the letters have been kept. an enrichmynt of my life, and gave it meaning. It is impossible to describe Still your interest in Paul who also owes you a lot, and knows it. A day in the significance of this, but you will understand when I say that I have Celje.1 Also, unfortunately, knowledge of your constant worries for SVS acquired a wealth that no inflation can deprive me of. I have an enormous and the unworthy treatment that venture has been given.8 Now I hope family of friends far whom my affection is deep and lasting. earnestly that you will find a field for yourself which will be worthy of ES, 19.8.1967. With the SPSL I have a lot of work, and that takes my your attention, and to which you can apply your gifts. Please-let me know evenings and weekends. There are always new applications, mostly from some time. I shall also inform you of Paul's progress (very pleasing in South African displaced scholars. We expect applications from Greek many ways) and of our common friends. Love, as ever, Bert. scholars, as well as some from the Argentine. You would be interested in ES, 15 .6.1966. I am quite overcome by the kindness and generosity that has our South Africans, three of whom have served severe jail sentences. You been shown me by our refugee scholars. it was very good of you to write may have come across a book written by one of them: 'The Jail Diary of to me specially for the occasion of the reception last Thursday, but I really Albie Sachs', 01' have seen a feature article not long aga by another, Sylvia do not deserve your kind comments. The reception was like a dream. I was Neame, who was in prison for three years. quite overwhelmed by the volume of affection shown by the scholars, who ES, 1.2.1968. Many years aga I read the book by G H Hardy which some of them came quite long distances; about 150 accepted the invitation. you mention; I was particularly interested as I knew Hardy-he helped As you know, the SVS, whose Assistant Secretary I have been since us very constructively with advice about our mathematician refugees, and its beginning in 1944, will be coming to an end. I intend to carry on the financially too. secretaryship of the SPSL indefinitely; our help is still needed, and will be, I fear, for many years to come. Our latest refugee scholars are from ES, 1.6.1968. I am giving up my job with the Wellcome Trust at the end South Africa.9 My concern just now is to find a new horne for SPSL; when of July, when my contract expires. Iwanted to go on till then, so as to earn this is achieved, all our scholars will be notified. Then I shall look round enough to cover special expenses incurred in acquiring the flat, and also for some paid employment, because I am not really ready to retire. till I was eligible for the full old age pension. I haven't really enjoyed the I have to wind up the SVS, find accommodation far the SPSL, and work with the Wellcome Trust, and having a full time job and the SPSL as see about a flat for myself, towards which object you and the others have well has left me with too little leisure. so generously corltributed. The flat is involved because the suggestion has Of course, I go on hoping against hope that one day you will turn been made that I should acquire one big enough to house the SPSL as up in London. I do so much want to talk to you. I feel we are going weIl. This would be asolution, if approved by the SPSL Council. It is also through a world revolution and I can't get sufficiently outside it to under­ proposed that the assets (practically non-existent) of the SVS should be stand what is happening-and I can't wait another centut·y to find out. handed over to the SPSL, should this be legally approved, with the proviso There is a world ferment without apparent cause; in each country, each that I remain an employee of the SPSL; the idea of this is to assure some university, something different is blamed, but I feel it is simply a local sort of tiny pension for me. As I did not attend the meetings of the SVS symptom that is being seized on because the real cause has not yet crys­ Üfficers, I am very hazy about what is involved in all this. tallised out, 01' come to the surface. We need a philosopher for today: At the reception many kind-and undeserved-things were said about post-Marx. We shall have to wade through many pseudo-theories before me, and I was glad to be given the opportunity of saying something myself. the right interpretation comes up. EB, 6.12.1969. Incidentally, you probably have seen The Intellectual 7 Now in Slovenia. Migration, Europe and America, 1930-1960 .... You and Beveridge are 8 For an account of some of these difficulties, see Cooper, RetlVspective Sympathetic Affection, pp. 144 ff. also mentioned there. I liked (very much) the posthumous contribution by 9 See Shula Marks, Chapter 16 below. Szilard, less so some others. But even these interested me as they conjured 114 Paul Broda ESTHER SIMPSON: A CORRESPONDENCE 115

up the atmosphere of Central Europe, especially Vienna, in the thirties. General Secretary Wal tel' Adams went on an exploratory visit to Germany. I met Mrs Trude Szilard here some months ago, the first time for some After that Szila.rd pursued his own research. 38 years ...... ES, 10.4.1979 . . . . I wish you had known Wittgenstein. I saw a side of ES, 12.4.1974. The Chile emergency is too big for our little society: there hirn unfamiliar to most; with me he was simple, utterly unaffected, kind are 600 academics affected, who are either in other Latin American coun­ (too much so, in the case of a refugee philosopher not right in the head), tries, in prison 01' in concentration camps. There is an ad hoc body called interested in humble people, and of course extremely well versed in music. Academics for Chile which together with World University S.ervice has set In our relationship there was no arrogance on his side, no assumption of up a special office for Chile. I attend the meetings of both bodies. 10 superiority, only kindness-he really went out of his way, e.g. queuing up for ages outside Fitzbillie's to get buns for my tea. EB, 14.4.1975. Thank you for drawing my attention to Beveridge's book, of which I had not been aware and which exists in our university library. It is a curious feature that Szilard's name is apparently not mentioned any­ where in the book. I enclose, for comparison, Szilard's account. What do you think?

ES, 22.4.75. Re Beveridge's history of our Society: its preparation was very hard going. Lord Beveridge was utterly convinced-and this was reinforced by his wife-that he was the sole creator of the Society, and did not want to give credit to anyone else. I protested vigorously about omitting Szilard, but came to the conclusion that Beveridge had really completely forgotten hirn: he just would not listen. He also ignored the part played by A. V. Hill, especially at the internment time, but I insisted that as A. V. was on the spot Beveridge should get from hirn his own account of the internment period. Otherwise I got on extremely well with Beveridge: indeed he was quite devoted to me. He kept on asking me to come to Oxford, where he had arranged for the storing of our archives in the Bodleian Library, and insisted on driving me to and from the Bodleian, and out to places outside Oxford for lunch. Often I was quite scared by his driving, but he maintained that he had never had an accident and was very proud to display his driving skill. He was most devotedly nursed by the secretary who had been with hirn for many many years, and who did not survive hirn long. She was a Russian, whose husband was on the staff of the L. S. E. Szilard's account in The Intellectual Migration of which you enclosed a copy is pretty well as I remember his telling it to me in 1933.11 There is not the slightest doubt of Szilard's part in getting Beveridge to act. Szilard even helped in the office in August 1933, when the newly appointed

10 For the Chilean refugees, see Alan Phillips, Chapter 17 below. 11 The Intellectual Migration: Europe and America, 1930-1960, ed. Donald Fleming and Bernard Bailyn (Cambridge, MA, and London, 1969). For Szilard, see Lanouette, Genius in the Shadows, and 'A Narrow Margin of Hope', and the Introduction to this volume.