Box 116
Grafton, New York

October 3, 1939

Dear Matty,

I am very glad to hear from you. I have been, of course, distressed by the whole business. The situation is so tense that it seems almost criminal to weaken in any way the left wing. I cannot help feeling, however, that the Party itself is responsible for a really terrifying weakening of the left, and I can only hope that what I have done will ultimately have a strengthening effect - for the movement as a whole and perhaps even for the Party itself.

The Party seems to have been operating these past weeks on a single principle: whatever the Soviet Union does, is right. I cannot believe that is a sound principle for an American revolutionary movement, even when it is applied with some intelligence. Applied as stupidly as it has been these past weeks, it is catastrophic. And I cannot help thinking that the stupidity may in part be traced to the fact that, all these years, certain Party leaders have been operating on that principle instead of looking at America through Marxist eyes.

One thing is certain, and that is that we have all got to work about twice as hard as we have been working in the past. Organizationally the Party has been OK during the last year or so, but there is no measuring its loss of influence. I feel as if a great barrier between us and reaction had started to crumble.

I have no very clear plans as yet, but a few of us are going to try to get together in New York to talk things over before the end of the month. I hope that some program will emerge that can unite the now scattered forces of progressivism.

As soon as my plans straighten out a little, I want to get to Cambridge - either at the end of this month or early in November. When I do, I shall count on seeing you.

I'm glad to hear that your book is coming along. I'm now awaiting page proofs on mine.

Box 116
Grafton, NY

Mr. F.O. Matthiessen
87 Pinckney Street
Boston, Massachusetts

Box 116
Grafton, New York

March 10, 1938

Dear Matthiessen,

Thank you very much for your note.

I am interested in the job, but there are some difficulties in the way. I have already written Mr. Jones about the practical problem, for there seems no doubt that I would have to move my family to Cambridge. If, while I am waiting to hear from him, you could tell me a little more about the work, I should be grateful. It sounds interesting, but I have only the vaguest notion of how counsellors will function. You must have talked this over with some of the men, and it would help me for you to tell me what has been thought of.

Of course, in itself the idea of being in Cambridge, having the library to work in, and seeing something of some of the people there, appeals to me strongly.