WCP2742

[1]

3106 Western Avenue

Los Angeles Cal.

8 January 1913.

Dear Dr Wallace

Today is I think the anniversary of your birth & again I write to congratulate you. I find great encouragement in seeing[?] you still when front[?]. An American magazine reproduced your article in Everyman in the chemical theory of life & [illeg.] alas printed a very fine & recent portrait of you (whole page) I think your argument is a [illeg.]

Thought is getting very active out here & all over the U.S. on economic problems & I think as I always thought that some of them will first be solved over here. I am listening[?] on the single box on Sunday. The magazines are [2] full of phony arguments — not one magazine but a dozen — on the matters which have interested you & me for so long. They repudiate[?] [illeg.] here because they do not know it under [illeg.] names & not[?] — they pay [2 words illeg.] for might[?] of bounty[?] — If a day & another [ illeg.] when family. A little more of that will mean State employment for all.

The movement of affairs here points to one of three courses. Civil wars & military dictatorships[?], Bureaucracy on Russian lines or Socialism. Any accident might precipitate one or the other. Inside 20 years one or the other will occur. ^{Things move very fast here.} Of course it will [illeg] be definitely one or the other but this resultant of the 3 forces plus some unforeseen incident.¹ [3 words illeg.] a neck & neck ever[?] between this indignation[?] & his [illeg.] as to who shall steer this ship of state. The [3 words illeg.] of immigration could be suspended. The newcomers cannot be [illeg.] & instructed sufficiently, rapidly [2 words illeg.] append [illeg.] on the lowest [3 words illeg.] in Birmingham.

I trust you are well. My wife joins me in kindest remembrances[?] of you [2 words illeg.] & may you be open[?] still longer to lend your great might[?] to good causes.

Ever yours sincerely. | R. Estcourt [signature]