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Vienna, December 18, 1919
IX., Berggasse 19
Dear friend,
I am pleased that you have received both of my letters. Today Frau Sarolta brought your letter which was heavy in content, according to which I will do what is necessary tomorrow. I will talk to Toni at noon, have the telegrams sent, and hope that you will be able to carry out everything yourself. Already days ago I saw a statement by the mayor addressed to Toni, to the effect that he is prepared to negotiate. But there was nothing in it about a second foundation that Bódy himself is suggesting.
I only want to explain the telegram to you here in anticipation. In my view, the original plan of a great teaching and treatment institute can't be realized in Budapest for a long time to come. Our friend will take this beautiful hope with him. Let us give it up and salvage what can be salvaged. All plans which are based on working together with some agency or other are objectionable. We would always be pressed to the wall. The only possibility seems to be a compromise roughly to the effect that the one half is left to the city and the other, in contrast, is placed completely free in the hands of the present Committee (i.e., in your hands). To accept no additional limitation, to demand that (half of) the amount be handed over directly; in the other instance, complete refusal on your part, with the consequence that the fund also remains unusable for the city.
If half is salvaged, then you keep the larger portion for better times in Budapest and stick the smaller one into our Verlag, which is now our main interest.
Rank still hasn't returned, perhaps he won't be able to come until New Year's; I am also not familiar with the entanglements that he has gotten into, but I fear that we are already finished or bankrupt. I won't let the