Spencer Heath Archive

Item 3050

Penned letter from Heath at 312, Halesworth Street, Santa Ana, California, to Spencer MacCallum

July 24, 1959

Dear Spencer —

Mrs. Manning seemed to have so many interesting things for me to do here, I came back from Colorado Springs on July 4^th and will leave here definitely on the 31^st (Friday). I may go by bus, especially if there is a scenic route, via Denver or Colorado Springs and stop over for another day or two at the Freedom School, as Bob LeFevre has asked me by letter to do.

For several days after returning here I felt a bit bewildered, not knowing anything about you or where you were except that you had driven north with Jane Miller and was glad to know your address in Berkeley when your letter to Mrs. Manning came. I could tell you a lot about my visit to Colorado Springs but to save writing I think I will enclose copy of my letter to “Baldy” of July

Back here I received a letter from Bartlett, Poe & Claggett saying that the Internal Revenue Department told them that any action on the matter of tax exemption for the Foundation would be sent direct to the Foundation and asking if any decision on the matter had been received. A day or two later a letter came from the Int. Rev. Dept. saying they would have to have copy of Income Tax Returns for the Foundation (which had not been filed?) and what not. I sent this letter to Bartlett, Poe and Clagget saying I thought we had filed all the necessary, very carefully, and asked them to look into it all and I would contact them as soon as I got back to Baltimore. I hardly know how I can prepare any tax returns showing Foundation income (or loss) for 1958 or 1959 or, if any were filed, how I shall ever find copies of them. Early this year I tried very hard to locate copies of Foundation returns but could find nothing, nor of any of my personal tax returns running back for years and years that I used to keep in a suitcase in the attic. I’m afraid the records and correspondence of the Foundation are in pretty poor shape with only     on the job and likely to remain so for some time Delay until today July 27. Trying to get my letter to Baldy copied to send to you for general information. Hope to get this off with enclosures today.  . . .

…….   Another day! July 27  Spent good part of today visiting President Davis of Chapman College here. Made arrangements to have a seminar there on “The Common Law” Thursday night, July 30. Mrs. Manning has arranged for quite a number to be there — largely lawyers etc. Mr. Hoiles’ paper /is/ giving it good publicity.

Mighty glad to have yours of the 22^nd. Glad your project is shaping up well and approved by your thesis advisor. I bet it will be good. I know how your thoughts keep on growing. Mine do.

About Leslie A. White’s book: I have annotated it profusely and I hope legibly. You may feel that I have been too harsh and destructively critical. But I have made a special effort throughout not only to spot the fallacies but at the same time to set out the contrary (and correct) point of view — to supply the. supremely important elements and distinctions that he, in his prepossession of the primitive, so crudely ignores. I enclose two sheets of random notes and the book I am mailing to where you are — marginal notes and all. — Didn’t know where else to send it for you to see when you have more time for it.

Mrs. M (your “Fran” has just handed me a typed letter to you which I enclose.

About those two books you have that I might like, you better send them to Elkridge, especially if I am to write notes into them, and I’m afraid I won’t have much time for that even there. And I’m thinking pretty much about coming back to those parts in another two or three months.

I’m glad you’ve found a book that shows some inkling of the social function of property in land and that taxes on the use of land are a greater detriment to land value than are taxes on the ownership and distribution of it.

About those pp 407 and 413 about Marketing: It seems artificially complicated and pretty foggy to me. It is a good sign, however, when an academic writer begins to distinguish a thing (like the Market) from that which adulterates and destroys it. I think the Market is more than “ethical.” That only means that it is not unethical — that it does not practice any evil, purely negative (non) virtue, whereas Marketing is creative, the doing of good, the objectification of love. Of course, trade around 1900 was carried on by men who were also ruthless, many of them, but it is not likely that pirates ever became completely merchants overnight. I might like the Marketing book better if I saw more of it. I’m glad that you are seeking out the virtues in this book and in L. White, for virtue is far more important than vice, truth than error. Both the former are useful, the latter only to turn away from, not to be cherished or dwelt upon. We must find all the virtue in these books that we possibly can — and write to them about that if we write at all. We must hold the ‘seamy side’ just entre nous.

Mrs. Manning has told you that I leave here on the 31^st. I want to see the Big Hale and going by rail I can stop at Colorado Springs and Detroit to see Enid and your Aunt Marguerite and how badly off the Uncle Merton is.

It’s right late now — and so to bed.

S’long affectionately

                                         P. D.