3 6 0 D O C U M E N T 3 0 6 N O V E M B E R 1 9 2 1
sign, but the metric’s gravitational components remain invariant. This symmetry was problematic in
light of the difference in mass between the fundamental particles with positive and negative charge
(Pauli 1919, pp. 462, 467; see also Pauli 1921, sec. 67).
306. To David A. Lourie[1]
Berlin, 29th November 1921.
Dear Mr. Lurie,
I am informed by Mr.
Ginzberg[2]
that difficulties arose over the payment of the
funds subscribed by your Club for the University, since some of the subscribers fear
that the money, if paid into the Zionist Treasury, may be diverted for purposes other
than the
University.[3]
Although such fears seem to me to be wholly unfounded, I believe the difficulty
should be overcome by appointing a special treasurer in the U. S. A. to whom those
funds could be paid and who could see to it that the funds are entirely applied to
some University expenditure (as you know, my personal recommendation was, to
use that money for the urgent needs of the University Library). As Dr. Weizmann
is proceeding to America
shortly,[4]
I am sending him a copy of this letter, request-
ing him to appoint such a treasurer together with you. Excepting, that you are in
concord with Dr. Weizmann to the choice of the person, I give a priori my
consent.[5]
Yours truly,
A. Einstein
TLS (NNAJHS, Albert Einstein Papers, Box 1, Folder 1). [36 844]. The letter is addressed “Mr. David
Lurie, (of ‘The New Century Club’), Boston.” An English draft with remarks in German is also avail-
able [36 846].
[1]Lourie (1878–1930) was a lawyer in Boston and member of the American Jewish Committee in
District XI.
[2]Solomon Ginzberg.
[3]At its banquet of 18 May 1921, the New Century Club, a club formed by Boston Jews of Eastern
European origin, $25,000 was raised for the University Fund (Boston Post, 19 May 1921). For
accusations by the Brandeis group in the Zionist Organization of America against the Zionist Organ-
isation over the alleged misappropriation of University Fund monies for general Zionist purposes, see
Doc. 128, note 3.
[4]In fact, Weizmann did not travel again to the United States until March 1923 (see Wasserstein
1977b, pp. 268–269).
[5]In the typed draft, the following sentence was included: “I have complete confidence in Dr.
Weizmann’s choice, which will, no doubt give satisfaction to all sides.” This sentence was crossed
out, and in its place Einstein added a sentence the translation of which is the last sentence of the letter
sent. The draft also includes the following crossed-out postscript in Einstein’s hand: “P. S. Es liegt mir
daran, dass die Angelegenheit nicht dadurch verzögert werde, dass man sich verpflichtet sieht, künftig
noch einmal meine Zustimmung einzuholen. Wenn sich Herr Dr. Weizmann mit dem New Century
Club über die Person des treasurer geeinigt hat, so soll diese Wahl auch als von mir gebilligt gelten.”