5 October 1954

The Secretary of State

Washington 25, D.C. Ref: Fl30-Pauling, Linus

Dear Sir:

I have today received a letter, dated 1 October 1954, from R. B. Shipley, Director, Passport Office, to which I now reply.

In the letter it is stated that "the issue of a passport to you is precluded under Section 51.135 (b) as that section is amplified by Section 51.141 (b) of the passport regulations."

I wish first to point out that my application to you, in my letter of 7 June 1954, was not for issue of a passport to me, but for validation of my passport, No. 698609, for a trip to various countries, contemplated for the period December 1954 to April 1955, to permit me to give scientific lectures and visit scientific laboratories in these countries. My passport, No. 698609, was issued on 14 July 1952. I have used it for trips to European countries in July and August 1952, April 1953, and July and August 1953, and for a trip to European countries and Israel in October and November 1953.

In the letter of 1 October 1954 from Mrs. Shipley it is stated that I may appeal the decision of the Passport Office to the Board of Passport Appeals. I have decided, after consideration of my experience with the Department of State last year, not to attempt to make the trip, during the period December 1954 to April 1955, for which validation of my passport was requested. In the fall of 1953 I applied for validation of my passport for a trip to India, Japan, and other countries, to deliver scientific lectures. The Department of State failed to take either positive or negative action on this application, and finally, two weeks after I was scheduled to leave the United States, and when it had become impossible for me to present the most important of my scheduled lectures because the time for giving them had passed, I withdrew the application for validation of my passport. The failure of the Department of State to take action on my application in time to permit me either to make the scheduled trip or to cancel my scheduled lectures before their extensive public announcement in Greece, Israel, and India caused me to suffer significant financial loss (traveling expenses for my wife and me to New York and Washington and return to Pasadena, and living expenses in New York and Washington), personal embarrassment, and damage to my reputation. I feel that I cannot take the chance of a repetition of this occurrence, and I have accordingly written to the universities and scientific organizations that have invited me to say that I shall not carry out the proposed travel for scientific purposes this winter.

The Secretary of State Ref: Fl30-Pauling, Linus Page 2 5/10/54

I am planning tentatively to make a trip, for scientific purposes, to India, Japan, and other countries during the period December 1955 to April 1956. I shall later ask for validation for this trip. The countries involved are not all the same as in the proposed travel this winter. In particular, I have received an invitation to give scientific lectures in universities in South Africa during March and April of 1956.

It will be some time before I shall be able to make detailed plans for the proposed travel in 1955-6. As soon as I have definite information about this travel I shall apply for validation of my passport for this purpose.

Yours truly,

Linus Pauling:W