D O C U M E N T 2 7 9 O C T O B E R 1 9 2 1 1 7 7
slung
at.[19]
I sent it back to him with the request that the form be modified and to
allow me to send it to Grebe for his
perusal.[20]
Now it would be nice if the same
issue of the journal contained a communication by Mt. Wilson about the confirma-
tion; for Glaser mainly bases himself on St. John’s negative
result.[21]
Could you
write there to ask that such a brief article be sent to me for publication?
But enough now. With cordial regards to your family, also from my wife (with
all due trepidation and humility), yours,
Born.
279. From Max Planck
Grunewald, Berlin, 22 October 1921
Dear Colleague,
When I came over to speak with you today, I encountered, instead of you, the
information that you were out of town for 5
weeks;[1]
and so I am left with no alter-
native but to contact you in writing and add one more letter to the number you must
glance over. It is not easy for me to demand this sacrifice of your valuable time, but
the cause I feel obliged to serve compels me and gives me the courage I otherwise
never ever would have mustered to assail you once again about next year’s festive
convention of the [Society of] German Scientists and Medical
Doctors.[2]
Before me lies the recently appeared proceedings issue of the [Bad] Nauheim
meeting with the inaugural speech by the chairman, Mr. von
Müller;[3]
in it the pas-
sage I wanted to show you, which treats the universally historic significance of your
research and at the same time most energetically denounces and rejects certain vul-
gar methods of opposition toward it,—a passage that triggered loud applause at the
time at that
meeting.[4]
And now you are toying with the idea of letting the scien-
tific society suffer for those unwarrantable
machinations.[5]
With your fine sense
for causal relations, it really isn’t your style to allow common emotional trends to
exert a decisive influence on professional considerations. Should that pack, which
has thus far been yapping around you in vain, thank God, and which now gradually
appears to suffer disappointments, be allowed in the end to really feel proud about
a major success? I do not want to—I cannot believe so.
For now, just one wish that you certainly can grant me. Do not reply to me in
writing, not now, but orally, when we see each other later. This matter is not urgent
yet, you know. But I just have to unload what I intended to say to you, in order to
restore my normal emotional relationship with you.
With best wishes for your trip and, as ever, cordially yours,
M. Planck.