The authors are editing Fenichel's private papers for publication, a potentially valuable project. Among this material they found an informal communication addressed to a meeting in 1942, including some of the most senior analysts, to discuss the reorganization of the American Psychoanalytic Association. Fenichel was not able to attend.

The authors present a brief introduction, which sketches the organizational controversies and acknowledges the fact that the paper was edited for readability and given a title.