Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2639

Confidential typed note made during or around the time of the June, 1957 Seminar at the Foundation for Economic Education, Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, attended by Heath and Spencer MacCallum

 

 

At the Foundation for Economic Education,

Irvington-on-Hudson, as of June, ^‘57:

Miss Bettina Bien

Dr. W. M. Curtiss

Miss Betty Eastburn

Dr. F. A. Harper

Dr. Edmund A. Opitz

Dr. Paul L. Poirot

Mr. Leonard E. Read

Mr. Tom Shelly

 

We should know the name of the librarian.

 

Miss Bien, Dr. Opitz and Leonard Read believe taxation to be philosophically defensible, and in this respect are opposed to Drs. Harper, Curtiss and Poirot, with whom we tend (confidentially) to sympa­thize. Miss Bien is an ardent disciple of von Mises. Miss Eastburn is assistant to Leonard Read and is personally agreeable. Dr. Opitz is strong opposing “social action” in the churches, but dwells too much on the animal nature of man and the inevitability of conflict. We feel closest with Dr. Harper, and through him with Drs. Poirot and Curtiss. But Leonard Read is on very cordial and receptive terms with us. There is some strain between Read and Harper. Harper would like to raise more fundamental issues than Read, the efficient fund-raiser and organization man. Poirot is probably Harper’s closest spiritual kin.