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Burns' American Diary, an Englishman's view of American society, is the fruit of his Laura Spellman Rockefeller fellowship, 1926-1928. Very descriptive of his tour of U.S. and Canada (Quebec, Vancouver), numerous illustrations and clippings are laid in. In addition to his economic and social concerns, of particular interest are the architecture of major cities, their theatrical life, their politics; his visits to certain universities (Harvard, University of Chicago, Stanford), and his long visit to Washington with other Rockefeller fellows and their ongoing meetings and discussions with members of the Federal Board of Trade and professors from all over at what was to become the Brookings Institute. Competition in business was his major interest; it is discussed in the Diary, and his 1936 book, The Decline of Competition, is said to be a major influence in undergraduate teaching in the U.S. Included in the Collection is a cassette of his memorial service at Columbia, 24 April 1981.

Correspondence, memoranda and reports on the controversy surrounding the forced retirement of Benjamin Beckhart, or the Beckhart Case records. The collection consists of the files of three Columbia professors involved in the case: Harold Barger, professor of economics and Robert K. Webb, professor of history, who were chairmen of the Columbia chapter of the American Association of University Professors, 1959-1964 and 1964-1965, respectively; and Arthur Robert Burns, professor of economics, a member of the Committee on Conference of the University Council, which advised the President on matters of tenure, dismissal and retirement. Included is the correspondence of Beckhart, Barger, Burns, Webb, President Grayson Kirk, Courtney C. Brown, Dean of the School of Business, Harry M. Jones, professor of law, other Columbia faculty and officials of the national office of the AAUP. The reports and memoranda are chiefly those issued by the Committee on Conference.