Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1286

Carbon of a letter to Richard T. Ely, 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

November 16, 1939

 

 

Dear Dr. Ely:

I take it from your letter of November 8th that the matters I have submitted to you under the titles: “Private Property in Land Explained,” “Real Estate Administration for Profit” and “The Energy Concept of Population” (all of them portions or chapters from a larger work being prepared) are so far outside or beyond the scope of your present researches that only a special financial arrangement would enable you to give then further consideration or attention.

     I regret if this is so, because I have felt that a positive rationale for the institution of private property in land and its rehabilitation by a practical and profitable policy of owner-administration would be especially desirable in connection with your work in the economics of land utilization.

     If this should be the case I would be very happy to work with you or under your guidance and to defray my own expenses in doing. However, I am not able to accept your offer of criticism and round-table discussion on the terms suggested by your letter. My conversation of which you speak had reference to the contribution of my own time and expenses rather than any considerable endowment — at least during my own life.

    It is a pleasure to know that you have given careful consideration to my letters and conversation. It would be an even greater pleasure to know something of your intellectual reactions to my analysis of private property in land from the standpoint of its functions and of the potentialities underlying a generalized policy of real estate administration.

     I regard the work you are carrying on as very valuable and trust I may still be of assistance in carrying out some of your present aims.

 

                        Sincerely yours,