No, Reich, the future is dark for my work, but I carry it on and will do
so as long as I am allowed to.
I am glad that you are in touch with the children. * That must be
very comforting. I often think how lucky you were to get away before
Hitler marched into Oslo, and I smile when I think that Elsa Backer
wanted me to bring my school to Norway "for safety." I can get no
news of other folk in Oslo, but fear that modems like Sigurd Hoelt
and Raknes may be having a bad time under the devilish heel of brute
force.
I had a most pleasant dream last night. I was in N.Y. with you and it
was most realistic, for you took me round N.Y. and showed me all the
best sights, but I know that old Reich wouldn't waste his time taking
me to the top of the Woolworth Building in real life.
My wife is done out now, unable to do anything in the school. It is
very sad to see one who has been so active become like a child again.
I wish I could have a few more hours on your sofa.
- I •
Forest Hills, New York
February 24, 1941
My dear Neill:
You are quite right, it sounded rather "reactionary" what I
wrote you about America, but I think it is true. I am sure you would not
find either in Russia, nor under any socialist government in Scandinavia
or in Germany such honest and widespread efforts to acquire a spirit
and a general way of looking at things as I found here. But, of course,
all the evils are here too, and nobody knows which of the two forces
will conquer the other in the course of time. You know very well, what
I believe is that the problem of true democracy is rooted much deeper
in history as well as in the biological roots of the human structure than
any politician, socialist, administrator, statesman, etc. knows or would
like to believe. That sounds very depressing, but at the same time it
is the only hopeful knowledge that we have. I believe neither in state
capitalism nor in state socialism. I believe only in the possibility that
the international disaster will swamp up to the surface deepest natural in-
* Reich's daughters, Eva and Lore.
t One of the people who studied with Reich in Oslo.