Harry Flatow to Mrs. Force, March 12th, 1930

              New York, March 12th 1930

Dear Mrs. Force!

The inability of many artistic individuals to fit themselves successfully into the rut and grove of our mechanical age makes the administering of aid to artists a commonplace occurrance in the life of persons with the urge and instinct to help.  They might think it a slight exaggeration, when one of these proteges comes forward with the statemtn, that his chance-encounter with the Whitney Studio Club and its good-fiaries has initiated something like a new epoche of life.

But the light touch of that fairy-baton assumes symbolic importance to artists, who are surfgace-symbolists.  True: materrial aid was needed, was welcome, has provided not only the means for staying under shelter, but to work during a period of comparative relief in something like artistic freedom.  Freedom from the hopeless and hectic tribulation in the art-paupers life, freedom too from hated and senseless slavery in stupid emergency-occupations with hardly enough income to -- exist. At last now a breathing period, artistic and humane interlude. . .

Aside from this, and beyond: men dont live from bread alone.  If one does admit the possibility of something like mental; starvation, the horror of an empty horizon, of slow-motion suffocating in a spiritual vacuum, such as a completely art-apathic milieu -- then your interest shown in this case will certainly initiate some renewed approach to life, a closer walk with humans, resurrection and joy of creativeness.  A man rescued from a collapsed mine-shaft can hardly be more grateful to the person pushing the first spade thru the walls of dirt and debris than yous truly here is for the chance to breathe once again an athmosphere, where things of the spirit ar not merely considered either as fools fancies or objects for commercial exploit.

Highest reweard for the spender:  to see, to sense a vita nuova rise out of the germs of his gifts.  I ask for the chance, before you leave town, to thank you personally for both: the prectical and the platonic patronage.  Especially the latter.  It is thru those, who believe in us., that we again learn to believe. --

Thankfully yours
Harry Flatow

PS. By working thruout the weeks in full daylight shifts, I hope to have in thime enough painting-sketches ready, to offer you some selection for the one, which is intended aKs first token of gratitude.  Some layouts for cimpositions and sheet of aphorism I submit today.
Please forvive the typing. Handwriting disacustomed completely during newspaper-years.