The manuscript of Prof. Albert Einstein’s new Unitary Field Theory has been acquired and is now in the possession of Wesleyan University, it became known here yesterday. The manuscript will be kept in the new Olin Library of the university.
President James L. McConaughy of Wesleyan, in announcing the university’s acquisition of the only Einstein manuscript in the United States, described how the manuscript was obtained. Immediately upon the announcement of Professor Einstein’s new work steps were undertaken to bring the manuscript to America. Dr. McConaughy stated that George W. Davison, President of the Central Union Trust Company of New York, joined with Albert W. Johnston of New York in attempting to secure it.
Negotiations were conducted by trans-Atlantic cable and representatives of the New York Trust Company in Berlin communicated with Mrs. Einstein. Mrs. Einstein said her husband had no objection to the sale of the manuscript and that his only condition was that it should realize sufficient funds to enable him and his wife to carry on the welfare work among university students in whom both had long been interested. The price paid was not revealed, but Dr. McConaughy said it bore no relation to the actual pricelessness of the manuscript.
There are in all seven handwritten pages describing the New Field Theory. It will take years, Dr. Einstein is quoted as having said, before the scientific world will grasp all the implications of the new theory. At the end of Page 7 Dr. Einstein has placed his signature as indicating that the work ends there, another page being given over to expressions of thanks to his co-workers.
“Wesleyan University finds itself honored to be intrusted with this extraordinary document.” said Dr. McConaughy. “I use the word intrusted advisedly, because Wesleyan will always consider that as custodian of this precious manuscript it has a trusteeship of it in the interests of the whole world of scientific thought. It is probable that photostat copies will be made available by Wesleyan for every university and college which desires to possess such a copy.
“The manuscript itself will be most zealously safeguarded. Wesleyan University feels deeply grateful to Mr. Davison for his prompt action which resulted in bringing this manuscript to us.”
The manuscript of the Relativity Theory was presented by Dr. Einstein to the Hebrew University in Palestine. Manuscripts of works published between then and the present have been purchased by Baron Rothschild of London and presented to the Einstein Institute in Berlin.
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