To T. A. Robertson, of King Features Syndicate [Letter 163]

[Page 1]
January 7, 1946

Mr. T. A. Robertson
King Features Syndicate
235 East 45th Street
New York City

Dear Mr. Robertson:

Some error must have been made in the text of my wire to you. Your second wire (of January 2nd) reads: “By all means be completely feminist in doing piece for us”—whereas I said in my wire: “Am not a feminist and would be no good at doing article from woman’s angle.”

I would not be able to write a feminine piece on the home—such as what gadgets or devices or conveniences a housewife should expect in the home of tomorrow. That is not my specialty, I know nothing about it and care less, being the worst housekeeper on earth. What I suggested in my wire (but I am wondering now whether that wire got completely garbled) is that I do a piece on the theme of: why the Home of Tomorrow should be modern architecture. I intend to stress the human, psychological reasons, more than the purely architectural ones—so that the article would, I think, interest the laymen, both men and women. But of all writers on earth I’m the worst one to pick for an article aimed at women from the angle of women. I just ain’t that kind of writer.

If the theme I propose fits your purpose, I believe I can have the article written and mail it to you by Monday, January 14th. I am writing about this to my agent in New York, Curtis Brown, Ltd, at 347 Madison Avenue, telling them the conditions I require on any writing deal, in relation to by-line and possible changes in my copy. If you will settle the business part of this with Curtis Brown—please wire me and I shall go ahead.

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2.
As to illustrations, there are three architects whose houses would fit my article: foremost and above all Frank Lloyd Wright; Ely Jacques Kahn, and Richard J. Neutra. I would suggest that you get in touch with them (or if you need only one, then get Wright), let them know what type of article I am doing and ask their permission to use photographs of their designs of modern homes. I understand that Mr. Wright was in New York recently, so he can be reached either at the Plaza Hotel in New York or at his home at: Taliesin, Spring Green, Wisconsin. Mr. Kahn’s address is: 2 Park Avenue, New York City; Mr. Neutra’s address: 2300 Silverlake Boulevard, Los Angeles 26, California.

Please forgive my delay in answering you—an unprecedented rush of work at the studio here has kept me from doing it sooner.

With best regards,

Sincerely yours,

Ayn Rand

King Features expressed no interest in AR’s proposal.