Letter to K.W. Kapp

Title

Letter to K.W. Kapp

Recipient

Kapp, K.W.

Language

English

City

Genève

Date

1937

Date in document

yes

Formulas or calculations

no

Inventory number

NL-RtEUR_TBCOR01_007K001

1015

Storage location

Specifiek Magazijn

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.15133/ul/tinbergen_sent/1015

Filename

CDM1015_NL-RtEUR_TBCOR01_007K001.pdf

Provenance

Jan Tinbergen

Accrual Method

donation

Rights

CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International

Revised transcript

en Copy for Dr. Tinbergen.
Dr. K.W. Kapp, 2 Rue St. Leger, c/o M. Giacometti, GENEVA.
April 1st, 1937.
Dear Mr. Kapp,
Please excuse my delay in answering your letter of March 16th, which delay is due to our Easter vacation.
Even though there is nothing very encouraging that I can suggest to you at the present moment, I would like to say that the contents of your letter have interested me very much, in particular the fact that you have been working of late in preparation for a report by the Economic Committee of the League of Nations, particularly by the Committee concerned at present with an investigation into the problem of the distribution of raw materials, as, ever since our 1931 World Social Economic Conference in Amsterdam, we have been occupying ourselves with the whole question of natural resources and raw materials in their relation to standards of living. In 1933 we had drawn up an interesting program for a study conference in which some authorities on the subject and some interesting groups would have been collaborating, but our plans for that conference, which was to take place in Vienna, were called off by the very unsuitable political situation prevailing at that moment.
Meanwhile we have continued to concentrate on this subject, but, although we have held several intimate study conferences since, it is only this summer that we are hoping to arrange for a meeting of a group able and interested in studying this question, which we consider as basic in the present stage of social economic development.
Since we are, by choice, an independent Institute composed of individual members, we, of course, have been suffering during the latter years from a considerable reduction in our income, which fact, needless to say, has seriously restricted our work. For that very same reason I regret to say that at the present moment there is nothing which we could offer to you even though I am almost certain that we would have need of your services.
In a month or two we shall probably have formulated our program for this summer's meeting sufficiently for you to see the line which we are adopting.
Meanwhile may I ask whether there is any material available at the present moment which might be of advantage to us in establishing our direction? I am in touch with Mr. Schnabel of the League of Nations for any material which may be made available at present, or shortly, by the Committee on raw materials but this probably only concerns material which is going to be made available to the public. If there should be anything for more private circularisation which you think might be of advantage to us, we would be glad to receive or purchase it and we would be very much indebted to you for drawing our attention to it.
Dr. K.W. Kapp. 2. 1.4.1937.
I realise that instead of assisting you I am asking you to assist us. Nevertheless, I have sent a copy of your letter to our Associate Director, Miss Mary van Kleeck, who is Director of the Department of Industrial Studies of the Russell Sage Foundation, and also to Dr. Otto Neurath, who is both a member of our Board and Director of the International Foundation for Visual Education. One of Dr. Neurath's chief interests is this question of standards of living in their relation to natural resources and raw materials and the possibility is not excluded that the need for your services may arise and that some work may be allocated to you in the future even though it is not possible to promise anything at present. Will you therefore kindly keep in touch with us and inform us of your address if this should change?
I am also sending a copy of this letter to both Miss van Kleeck and Dr. Neurath so that they may have your correspondence in mind.
Meanwhile believe me,
Yours very sincerely,
Director.
MLF/FA

extracted text

Copy f o r D r , T i n b e r g e n ,

D r . K.W, Kapp,
2 Rue St.Ijegwr,
0,0 ,M. G i a c o m e t t i ,
GEHEVA,

A p r i l 1 s t , 19S7,

Dear Mr, Kapp,
P l e a s e excuse my delay i n ansTioring your l e t t e r of March 1 6 t h ,
which d e l a y i s Ave t o our E a s t e r v a c a t i o n .
Even though t h e r e i s n o t h i n g Tery encouraging t h a t I can s u g g e s t
t o you a t t h e p r e s e n t moment, I would l i k e t o say t h a t t h e c o n t e n t s
of your l e t t e r have i n t e r e s t e d me very much, in p a r t i c u l a r t h e f a c t
t h a t you have been working of l a t e in p r e p a r a t i o n fbr a r e p o r t by
t h e EcfttiOmic Committee of the League of N a t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y by
the Committee concerned a t p r e s e n t w i t h an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e
problem of t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f raw m a t e r i a l s , a s , e v e r s i n c e ovir
1931 World S o c i a l Economic Conference i n Amsterdam, we have been
occupying o u r s e l v e s w i t h t h e whole q u e s t i o n of natuaral r e s o i r c e s
and raw m a t e r i a l s i n t h e i r r e l a t i o n t o s t a n d a r d s of l i v i n g . I n
1933 we had drawn up an i n t e r e s t i n g program for a s t u d y conference
i n which some a u t h o r i t i e s on the s u b j e c t and some i n t e r e s t i n g
groups would have b e e n c o l l a b o r a t i n g , b u t our p l a n s for t h a t
c o n f e r e n c e , which was t o t a k e p l a c e i n Vienna, were c a l l e d off by
t h e v e r y u n s u i t a b l e p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n p r e v a i l i n g a t t h a t moment.
Meanwhile we have continued t o c o n c e n t r a t e on t h i s s u b j e c t , b u t ,
a l t h o u g h we have held s e v e r a l i n t i m a t e study conferences s i n c e , i t
i s only t h i s summer t h a t we a r e hoping t o a r r a n g e for a meeting
of a group a b l e and i n t e r e s t e d i n s t u d y i n g t h i s q u e s t i o n , which
•we c o n s i d e r a s b a s i c i n t h e p r e s e n t s t a g e of s o c i a l economic
development.
Since we a r e , by c h o i c e , an independent I n s t i t u t e composed e f
i n d i v i d t a l members, TW, of c o u r s e , have been s u f f e r i n g d u r i n g t h e
l a t t e r y e a r s from a considerable r e d u c t i o n i n our incon©,~which
f a c t , n e e d l e s s to s a y , has s e r i o u s l y r e s t r i c t e d our work. For t h a t
v e r y same r e a s o n I r e g r e t t o s a y t h a t a t the p r e s e n t moment t h e r e
i s n o t h i n g which ire could o f f e r t o you even though I am a l m o s t
c e r t a i n t h a t we would have need of your s e r v i c e s .
I n a month or two we s h a l l p r o b a b l y have formulated our program
for t h i s summer's meeting s u f f i c i e n t l y for you t o see the line
which we a r e a d o p t i n g ,
Meanv*iile may I a s k whether t h e r e i s any m s t e r i a l a v a i l a b l e a t
the p r e s e n t moment which might be of advantage t o u s in e s t a b l i s h i n g
our ( e r e c t i o n ? I am i n touch w i t h Mr, Schnabel o f t h e League of Nations
for any m a t e r i a l which may be made a v a i l a b l e a t p r e s e n t , o r s h o r t l y ,
by t h e Committee on raw m a t e r i a l s b u t t h i s p r o b a b l y o n l y concerns
m a t e r i a l whish i s going t o be made a v a i l a b l e t o the p u b l i c . I f t h e r e
should be a n y t h i n g for more p r i v a t e o i r c u l a r i s a t i c n which you t h i n k
might be of advantage t o u s , we would be glad t o r e c e i v e o r p u r chase i t and we would be v e r y much indebted to you for dray/ing our
a t t e n t i o n to i t .

f

Dr,K,W,Kapp,

2.

1.4,1937.

I r e a l i s e t h a t instead of a s s i s t i n g you I am asking you to a s s i s t
u s , Nevertheless, I h a ^ sent a copy of your l e t t e r to our
Associate Director, Miss Marjr -ron Kleeck, who i s Director of the
Department of I n d u s t r i a l Studies of the Russell Sage Foundation,
and also to Dr. Ctto Neurath, who is both a member of our Beard
and Director of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Foundation for Visual Eduoat^or-.
One of Dr. ïïearath's chief i n t e r e s t s i s t h i s question of standards
of l i v i n g in t h e i r r e l a t i o n to n a t u r e l resources and raw materials
and the p o s s i b i l i t y i s not excluded t h a t the need for your
services my a r i s e and that some work nay be allocated to you in
the future even though iy i s not possible to promise anything a t \
p r e s e n t . Will you there ft re kindly keep in touch with us and
inform us of your address i f t h i s should change?
I am also sending a copy of t h i s l e t t e r to both Miss can Kleeck
and Dr, ïïeurath so t h a t they may have your correspondence in mind.
MoaKWhile believe me.
Yours very s i n c e r e l y .

Director,

MLF/FA

f