Repercussions of the Draft Report of the Training Committee: Comments from Edward Glover and Other Members of the Training Committee of the Draft Report on Training in the Society

(1) On terms of reference: A report on the effects of the present controversies on training must point out the fact that the Committee is itself hopelessly divided into (i) the Klein Party (Klein, Rickman), (ii) the Freud Party (A. Freud, Glover), (iii) the party once designated ‘Middle Groupers’ (Brierley, Payne). Miss Sharpe's position is uncertain but she is much more Freudian than Kleinian. Nevertheless I think she could still be called a ‘Middle Grouper’. In other words, the majority of the Committee are at complete loggerheads. If that hasn't some bearing on questions of training, I'm a Dutchman.

(2) Mr Strachey says: ‘It would be a mistake to imagine that the current situation is of extraordinary or unique importance.’ – to which I say: schisms in the psychoanalytic movement may not be unique, but the present Klein schism is certainly of extraordinary importance to the British Society, if for no other reason than that, under present conditions of training, the schismatic views may in course of time and because of training transferences and the consequent policies of election and selection, be made the orthodox analytical teaching.

(3) I quote: ‘The Committee is not directly concerned with the truth or falsity of views held by Members.’ – But this burkes the issue: the Committee is most assuredly directly concerned with the truth or falsity of the views which it officially permits to be taught as psychoanalytic views. For example it has appointed Mrs Klein, Dr Rickman, Mrs Isaacs, etc., etc. as official training analysts, control