To Adolph C. Miller
Los Angeles, January 26, [1921]
DEAR ADOLPH,—I see that Harding1 is to leave you, and this is a note of sympathy. What will you do? Poor chap! I know the satisfaction you have had out of working with him and now he follows Warburg, Delano, and Strauss. By Jove, that’s why we can’t make things go as other countries do—because we can’t give our people enough to live on. This is at once the meanest and most generous of Republics. Mean collectively, generous individually.
He will wait until after March 4th. “Right oh!” I expect you to have some say as to his successor, especially as to the new Governor. And if you can’t work with the new man you can lift your skirts and skip! Freedom of movement, assured as to all by Adam Smith, is exclusively the prerogative of the fortunate few. Don’t be downhearted! You can’t be as badly off as you were for several years. Just think how unlucky I am as compared with you, and pat yourself on the back and take one of the old time struts. Good belly! Good brains! Good pocket-book! Good friends near you! Good dog to walk with in the woods—and woods in which you can walk! Good house, with your own books to look at you friendly-like. Oh boy, rejoice and be glad!
Notes
1 Governor Harding of the Federal Reserve Board—a rumor of resignation.