nation: People’s fear of spontaneous movement not only prevents the serious study of his
new paradigms; it also blocks anger toward those who take steps to destroy the evidence for
the concepts.
The Arizona Desert Expedition: October 1954-April 1955Reich’s successful cloud-busting efforts to modify mild droughts in the Northeast
led him to believe he might be able to do something to reverse the more severe drought and
desert development in the Southwest. Consequently, during the summer of 1954 he made
plans for a trip to explore the Arizona area, including sending McCullough there in advance.
As with so many activities during this period, there was a double motivation for Reich’s
Arizona mission. On the one hand, he was pursuing an investigation stimulated by earlier
findings. On the other hand, desperate for a way out of the FDA dilemma, he was prodded
by the wish to achieve something dramatic. He became more interested in publicity than he
had ever been in the past. If his work could become widely known, the chances for over-
coming the injunction would increase.
The planned trip added to Reich’s financial burdens. The estimated costs were
about $2,000 per month to cover research expenses as well as the living needs of Reich, Eva,
William Moise, Robert McCullough, and eleven-year-old Peter, all of whom were making the
trip. In addition, there were maintenance costs at Orgonon, where Tom Ross was to remain
as caretaker. In the face of a dwindling income from accumulator rentals, Reich organized a
financial committee consisting of Elsworth F. Baker, Michael Silvert, and William Steig.
Baker, as we have seen, always played a quiet, supportive role. He was highly trust-
ed by Reich, even with the most confidential private matters concerning Ilse and Eva. In
turn, Baker always treated Reich with great respect. He offered independent views, and,
unlike Silvert, was very much in favor of fighting the injunction in court. However, he did
not flatly disagree with Reich very often as Wolfe, Reich’s most outspoken colleague, had
done; nor was he prepared to do anything in opposition to Reich. Ilse Ollendorff has argued
that the New York physicians, led by Baker, should have intervened, even without Reich’s
approval, at the time of the initial complaint to represent their interests as members of the
Wilhelm Reich Foundation.However, such an action would have left Reich feeling totally
betrayed.
Silvert’s role at Orgonon increased with the expedition. His talents at this time were
much in need.He was prepared to give considerable time to administrative matters and he
was ready to visit in Arizona if necessary. His intense interest in the cloud-busting work also
drew him closer to Reich.
William Steig had become a key person in raising funds for orgonomy during the
post-injunction period and, especially, for the Arizona expedition. He continued his inde-
pendent artistic career and remained in New York City, but he had grown closer to Reich
after the Oranur experiment,in which he took a great interest. He kept reports on DOR
effects or rough approximations of what today would be called pollution levels in New
398 Myron SharafFury On Earth