Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2560

Letter from Morris Kline, Professor of Mathematics, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Division of Electromagnetic Research, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York 3, New York

April 26, 1957

 

 

Dear Mr. Heath:

I know that you tried to get me last week by telephone and I am very sorry that I was not in my office when you called.

 May I thank you, first of all, for the very kind words of your letter of April 8th concerning my book. I need not tell you that it is gratifying for an author to receive such praise.

 I did want to comment also on your plan for “Solution for the Suez”. I do think the plan represents a very sensible compromise of the interest of Egypt as a nation and the interests of those powers who would like to retain rights in the Canal. I have but one criticism. Your plan presupposes that nations will sit down as gentlemen, discuss their mutual problems and arrive at a sensible and workable solution but I do not be­lieve this to be the case. It seems to me at the present time the fault lies with the Egyptian government. This government seems to have political ambitions and is willing to use the Canal as a tool with which to achieve these ambitions. If the assertion of the Egyptian sovereignty over the Canal and surrounding territory will serve these political ambitions, whether or not the assertion of this sovereignty is a reasonable and practical measure for peace loving nations seems to be irrelevant. I do not know enough of the history to decide whether the original agree­ment among the Western powers and Egypt, which led to the construction of the Canal, was a fair one to all parties concerned and it may very well be that some injustice was done to Egypt at that time. I do not assert that this is the case but allow for the possibility. Whether or not it was so, I think Egypt serves no purposes other than the furtherance of its political ambitions by committing wrongs today to compensate for past wrongs upon it. For this reason I do not see much hope that a sens­ible plan such as yours will be favorably considered by the Egyptian government.

 It was a pleasure for me, however, to know that an organization such as yours is willing to work for ideas that would help to bring peace and stability to the world. I do hope that you have lots of success in your endeavors.   

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ Morris Kline

Professor of Mathematics