July 23, 1949 (From California)

It is sometimes here in the US a little bit like in Europe. In legal matters, especially pertaining to religion, the independence here is great. Nevertheless, America knew how to make an excellent compromise of rights of the state and the country and the individual. The Civil War created a united US, where you can drive 3000 miles without a customs border, and where fascism and dictatorship would encounter almost insurmountable difficulties. I do believe that in the event of a serious crisis, fascist changes will appear here and there, but the apparatus to enforce them across a whole country is missing, and sensible men are deliberately prevented from doing so. This is how you sometimes feel here in the suburbs and small towns. Sometimes I think that I may be happier in Austria or Germany. But I feel no more a stranger here than in England, but here there is no feeling of belonging, especially in the rapidly growing state of California. I live with a few friends and live far away from political problems.  Now, however, a general fear of the crisis, something scary, is beginning to spread.  It is of course very bad to be out of work and four million have been hit. I myself was unemployed for several months, and people live here very differently from the time in Germany. But I doubt whether something bigger would be done here centrally, unless it gets really bad, like 1930. And this is unlikely, the whole situation is too different, and the situation was worse in 1930 than now and the US did not then give in to a dictatorship.

I was in Ostrava before I left. I visited the factory and met Narodni Podnik.  Mr. Bucala, who now lives in her old apartment, was extremely reserved. The factory was expanded a lot, I was amazed. Mr. Zidek asked about you, he was extremely nice. Otherwise Ostrau looked quite sad, and I have no desire to return.  CSR, the country recovered surprisingly quickly, but I was not very impressed by the attitude of the people there.