BR TO W.W. NORTON & COMPANY, INC. / WARDER NORTON, 15 JULY 1934
BRACERS 47101. ALS. Norton papers, Columbia U.
Proofread by K. Blackwell and A. Duncan

<letterhead>
Deudraeth Castle Hotel
Portmeirion Peninsula
Penrhyndeudraeth, North Wales1
July 15, 1934

Dear Warder

Thank you for your nice letter of July 3. I am however a little puzzled by what you say about the Conclusion. I have there pointed out that economic conflicts are the chief causes of war; I have specified iron ore, especially in Lorraine. I don’t see what more you expected.

I don’t think it important to alter “versus” to “and”. What made me do it was that, in the Conclusion, I found myself saying that between 1814 and 1914 both freedom and organization had increased. The fact is, while they are opposed as ideals, they are often harmonious in practice.

If you think Preface and Conclusion together do not make the reason for the title obvious, I can easily add a few sentences to the Preface which will have the desired effect.

I don’t know what “co-operatives” do in America. A Zemstvo2 had governmental functions locally; it was not a voluntary body. It was analogous to a City Council, but rural. I know too little of American local government to know what local governmental bodies you have below the State governments.

I hope your minor points are met by the proof corrections.

My children are now home for the holidays, and I have forgotten all intellectual matters pro tem. Best wishes to you both.

Yrs sincerely
Bertrand Russell.

• 1

  [document] Proofread against a microfilm printout of the original.

• 2

  Zemstvo According to Norton’s letter of 3 July 1934, the term was used in the ms. of Chapter XXXII. If the ms. of ?? cannot be found in the U.K. or the U.S. edition of the book as published.