Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2716

Letter from Claude E. Robinson, Chairman of the Board, Opinion Research Corporation, 44 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ

October 4, 1957

 

 

Dear Mr. Heath:

Thanks a lot for your letter of September 24. I would like to tell you the facts of the past few weeks so that you will know what is going on.

Some weeks ago, I experienced stabbing pains in my left chest and other symptoms which looked, for the time being, like angina. I went to the Medical Center and had a thorough checkup. The doctor tells me that my heart apparently is all right, but that I have an active stomach ulcer and I must take a three months rest in order to put out the fire in my midriff and thereafter change my work pattern and slow down.

 Inasmuch as I was raising the money for the Princeton Panel, it seemed prudent to cut back its activities on the theory that you don’t spend money you do not have. The Panel is continuing with its book writing. One book, “Rediscovering Capitalism,” is in type and three others –“The Rise of American Capitalism” by John Chamberlain, “Understanding Profits,” by George Koether, and “Selections of the Best Readings on American Capitalism” are far along and will be substantially complete sometime after the first of the year.

 Our direct mail test showed a 9% return in August, which is sensational for the book trade; or in other words, the Panel has shown in the hard­est kind of market test that management people want and are willing to pay for material if it is available.

 The primary key to a self help educational program, therefore, is simple availability of good material.

 While the Panel must, of necessity, alter its course somewhat, there is reason to believe that we can carry on our book writing function and, over the next four or five years, fill out our Library of American Capitalism.

For some curious reason I have not come across your CITADEL, MARKET AND ALTAR, “but will get it and read it.

 

Sincerely yours,

(signed) Claude Robinson

 

CR/rha