Letters to Harold Laski

Scope and Content

Letter from Stephen Leacock:

i) Handwritten letter signed (1p) sent from Montreal. Congratulates Laski on parenthood. [1916]

Letter from James Bryce:

ii) Handwritten letter signed (4 pp). No address given. Discusses Laski's book, church history, theology and Home Rule in Ireland. 19 April 1918

Letter from Felix Frankfurter:

iii) (Typescript letter unsigned) (1p) Telegram from Washington. Asks for Laski's help concerning the American labour situation after the war. 10 December 1916

Letter from Lord Haldane:

iv) Handwritten letter signed (4 pp) sent from Scotland. Comments upon Laski's book 'Authority of the Modern State'. Discusses at length the Pluralists, the New Realists, Labour and the Liberals. 7 April 1920

Letter from D Redlich:

v) Handwritten letter signed (4 pp) sent from Vienna. Expresses admiration for Laski's work on Karl Marx and discusses aspects of socialism. Refers to his 'political pessimism' concerning Europe. 15 February 1923

Letter from August Birrell:

vi) Handwritten letter signed (2 pp) sent from London. Invitation to visit. 17 March 1924

Letter from Bertrand Russell:

vii) Handwritten letter signed (2 pp) sent from Penzance. Asks Laski to help arrange a publisher for Mason. Refers to the Sociological Club and comments on his own recently finished book on education. 8 September? 1925

Letter from S. Alexander:

viii) Handwritten letter signed (2 pp) sent from Manchester. Thanks Laski for letter and kind words. 8 January 1929

Letter from [ ]:

ix) (AL) (1p). No address given. It states that the note is in the place of a letter. 16 June[?] 1930

Letter from Joe Kennedy:

x) Typescript letter signed (1p) sent from London. Encloses a copy of Jack Kennedy's book. 20 August 1940

Letter from Harold Laski to Joe Kennedy:

xi) Typescript letter signed (1p) sent from London. Marked 'Copy'. Criticises Jack Kennedy's book and expresses regret it was ever published. Refers also to Arthur Krock and Harry Luce. 21 August 1940

Letter from I. Maisky:

xii) Typescript letter signed (1p) sent from London. He has sent Laski a book and thanks him for his flattering words in 'Reynolds' [Reynolds News?]. 14 October 1942

Letter from Lloyd Humberstone:

xiii) Handwritten letter signed (2 pp) sent from London. Discusses possible subjects for a theses. Encloses paper for Laski to consult (not present in the collection). 23 April 1943

Letter from Ellen Wilkinson:

xiv) Handwritten letter signed (3 pp) sent Ministry of Education, London. Apologises over matters concerning the 'Swedish speech'. Thanks Laski for his kindness and wishes to solicit some of his advice. 3 June 1946

Letter from Duke of Bedford:

xv) Handwritten letter signed (5 pp) sent from Wigtownshire. Defends his party (the British People's Party) against Laski's claim of fascism and anti-semitism. Discusses the privileges and requirements attached to British citizenship. 26 September 1948

Letter from Archibald MacLeish:

xvi) Typescript letter signed (1p) sent from America. Thanks Laski for comments on his article. Discusses poetry, in particular, W.H. Auden. 20 September 1949

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