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October 10, 1945 33 Bancroft Road Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Dr. Karl T. Compton, President Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Mass.

Dear Dr. Compton:

I am taking the liberty of addressing identical letters to you and Dr. Conant on the subject of what I believe to be the opportunity and the obligation of scientists to assume leadership in the the maintenance of world peace.

Granted that war is not good, I think reasonable people can agree that the only realistic defense against modern mechanisms of war is the prevention of war itself. Statesmen have done a pretty poor job along these lines; it is time that the peoples of the world take a hand in their own destinies under and competent unified leadership. I propose that the most effective leadership for peace may well stem from the scientists who are in a position to make war most destructive and whose knowledge, therefore commends respect. I do not hold with the view that the function of science is merely to expand the field of knowledge and leave the application of such knowledge to others. Science and ethics are not mutually exclusive any more than religion and science are antithetic. Religion and science to my mind are close in that science seeks to understand and interpret natural laws (it does not create those laws) and in that understanding it approaches divine truth far more closely than does any creed or dogma. But between science and ethics, there is no such automatic association. It has to be created by this sense of trusteeship.

Science, like music, is universal. I suggest specifically that scientists of all countries form themselves into a group to assume leadership in world affairs, with their knowledge not only pointing out the dangers in the world of today but also urging upon peoples of all countries the idea of insisting that their political leaders find amicable solutions of world problems. Efforts to create such an atmosphere must be sustained.

Mankind has too long been dominated both nationally and internationally by little minds playing with big issues, and it is time that the larger minds of creative science assert themselves in the field of human as well as physical relations. Will you not urge this in meetings with your associates? This is precisely the time when we need something of the sort on which mankind can fasten his hopes for a better world. Inspirational personalities in the field of politics and statesmanship appear to be lacking; may not science take the lead? The scientific mind is singularly free from "finagling" characteristics; it is direct, objective, capable thus of creating an atmosphere favorable to orderly conduct of world affair; - capable, in short, of achieving philosophical attitudes to match technological progress.

Your position as a scientist, as a leader in O.S.R.D., and as an educator places you upon a great opportunity and, I think, a great responsibility for human engineering.

Sincerely yours,

STUART HUCKINS