To Ruth Alexander [Letter 511]

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36 East 36th Street
New York 16, New York

September 21, 1963

Dear Ruth:

The enclosed material will give you the information which you requested. It covers the questions of: the sales of my books—the facts about Nathaniel Branden Institute—the schedule of events at Lewis & Clark College [where AR received an honorary doctorate on October 1, 1963]—the list of the universities where I have lectured.

Most of these lectures are reprinted in the pamphlets which I gave you when I saw you here. You will find on the back of each pamphlet’s front cover the names of the universities where that particular lecture was given.

Under separate cover, I am sending you ten copies of The Fascist New Frontier.

In regard to your question about the comparison between the political views of the faculties and students: I asked this question in almost every university where I appeared and I was told invariably that the faculty is more “liberal” in its political views than the student body; the student body is moving in the direction of free enterprise.

You ask me to define my political position. I call myself “a radical for capitalism” or an advocate of laissez-faire capitalism (I am not a “conservative,” and have so stated in speaking and in writing on innumerable occasions).

I appreciate very much the fact that you want to write a column about me.

With best wishes from both of us,

Sincerely,

Ayn Rand

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2.

P.S. As to the copies of the National Review containing Russell Kirk’s attack on me and containing the article which classified Reinhold Niebuhr as a “conservative”, neither I nor the Branden office have kept any copies of it. If you are curious, you can probably obtain them from the National Review.

AR:dk