[ 1956 ]
Summerhill School
Leiston, Suffolk
My dear Reich,
406January 29, 1956I got your cable re Ritter. Luckily I have no conflict about
his book because his view of self-regno is far too local with too many
irrelevant details that can't interest the outside reader. So I won't write
any preface for him.
At the same time I think you have not been wise about the guy. He
still thinks that you approve of him and only your disciples are against
him. I could not disillusion him because I could not betray your private
opinion as given in your letters to me. I really think to settle the question
for all time you should send him a letter saying that you do not want him
to interpret your work. That would be the kindest way. I never under
stand your saying that he is a victim of red fascism; my own view is the
simple one, that he is quite sincere in his belief in orgones and self
regn., only that he is misguided into thinking he understands more than
he is capable of.
If I go to the U.S.A. consul now he will ask what invitation I have to
go to America. With none he will say that there is no point in asking
for a visa. If a friend on the N.Y. Times is to be believed, 90% of the
immigration staff are Irish Roman Catholics.
My health is all right but I have sleepless nights nowadays. Finance
trouble. Too few pupils and rising prices... just been told that my
electric wiring is out-of-date and it must be renewed at once. Possible
cost £500. And to think I have £800 book royalties frozen in Tokyo!
I hear so little about your work these days. I only hear the opposition
side, for instance that flying saucers have been proved to be nonsense.
I read of rainmaking but never a word about yours. So I feel rather lost
and far away from sources.
Zoe has bad tonsils but I don't want them taken out, believing that
what is there by nature has some permanent purpose in the body. She
eats too much starch and how to make her eat balanced food is our
problem.
Sorry that this letter isn't too cheerful. Maybe because a neighbour
bored me with his conversation for over twenty years. I was at his
funeral yesterday. He has left a large fortune to his relations whom he
never spoke to... and not a penny to me. So ist das Leben [Such is
life] or rather das Sterben [dying].