134
DOCS.
124-126
OCTOBER
1915
would not be
required
either. In
any case,
the
prospects
of
scientifically
valuable
results
are
very
great
against any
funds to be
expended.
I
therefore
sincerely
hope
that the
matter
will
not fall
through
because of
the
extreme
cost-saving
constraints
brought
on by
these
hard times.[5]
125. To Paul Hertz
[Berlin,
before
8
October
1915][1]
Dear
Colleague,
Your carefulness
can
in
any case
do
no
harm,
although
it
does
seem
to
me
to
be
a
bit
exaggerated.
That
article
impresses me
little;
the
paper
is
forbearant.[2]
An associated member is
only
of
value to
the
association in
that
it
is allowed to
send its
printed
material
to
such
members,
while it
is not permitted to
do
so
to
completely private
individuals. For
you, membership only
has
the
value
that
you
receive such written
material.[3]
If
you prefer, you
could
also
do it
via
a
straw
man,
if
you
do not like
personally being
an assoc.
member.
I
must
say,
though,
that this
type of
cautiousness, i.e.,
not standing
up
for one’s
rights,
is
the
cause
of
the
entire wretched
pol[itical]
situation.[4] We
can
discuss
this
when
we see
each
other
again.
Best
regards,
also
to
your
wife,
yours,
A.
Einstein.
126.
To Paul
Hertz
[Berlin,
before
8
October
1915][1]
Dear
Mr.
Hertz,
Each of
your
letters
has
given me a
quarter
of
an
hour of amusement.
Resign
instantly
from
the
association;[2]
for
you
have
that
type
of valiant
mentality
the
ruling powers
love
so
much in Germans.
People
like
you
from
the
most
highly
ed-
ucated
class offer
the best
guarantee
for
the
preservation
of
the
political quagmire
(to
life
everlasting, amen).
Do not take
offense at
my coarseness,
but
rest
assured
that
I
am
fond of
your mentality,
even
though
I
regret
the
weakness
of
your spine.
The latter
I
do not consider
an
inborn
trait
but
a
fruit
of
one’s
upbringing
....
Cordial
greetings
from
your
sweet-tempered
Einstein.