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Correspondence from Theodor Reuss to Aleister Crowley
Moeckernstrasse 96 / III bei Neumann Berlin
9 Nov. 1921
Dear Brother Crowley,
You should never have allowed that last letter of yours of your Australian Ego to leave the secrecy of your bosom. Whosoever sees me and hears me speak at Public Meetings in this country sees, hears, and realized that I am of sound mind. And undoubtedly more so than that person who inspired Australasian [?] to suggest I am demented. If you had not written and sent those two last epistles there might have been a chance of readjusting matters providing that.
1. you had declared to your followers that the O.T.O. does not preach and propagate the Doctrine of the A∴A∴ which runs "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law," and
2. that your followers should have been clearly instructed by you that the "O.T.O. is not in any way an annex or even in any way connected with the "A∴A∴" and that the Teachings of these Two independent Bodies must rigorously be kept separate and distinct. And suppose these two principal points had been settled to my satisfaction and I should have received from your representatives assurances that they will teach the pure and unallayed principles of the O.T.O. in future, you would
3. have had to remember that you signed an understanding to pay a certain precisely stipulated Fee to me for every person or candidate which you admitted into the O.T.O.—You may perhaps remember that you, as yet have never paid even a single penny to me ever since you were admitted, although you and your representatives in foreign countries (and I am told that you make your candidates in America pay very high fees for entering O.T.O.) do demand fees and cash fees for the admission of persons to the O.T.O. However, I shall not press this point. I have never pressed you for payment of fees, and have, as you well know, also never received fees from you. I only mention that you did years ago sign a paper to this effect to pay fees to me.
If the above three points had been settled to my satisfaction a rearrangement of our badly tangled relations might have been possible. But your Brotherly suggestion that I am demented and your other suggestions to have your nominees, so to say "depose" me as O.H.O. [Outer Head of the Order]—makes all arrangements impossible.
I can only use the words of your so-called "Viceroy" "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law"—of course only, as far as you and your followers are concerned. I have other work to do, and any attacks you make on me will harm you more than me. For I am standing in the middle of a Public Patriotic Movement and the people see and hear me and are able to judge for themselves. With all good wishes for your future welfare.
I am Yours
Theodor Reuss
P.S. Please do not send me registered letters! We of the O.T.O. know no "Viceroys" nor "Roys" in the O.T.O.
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