Scripto | Page Revision | Transcription

Lillian F. Marcus 1117 Short St. New Orleans, LA

June 20, 1947

Mr. Albert Einstein, Chairman Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists Room 28, 90 Nassau Street Princeton, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Einstein:

You have been courteous to me indeed for the poor little one dollar that I contributed to your Committee, so I feel that being interested in the work you are trying to do, I should make a report to you on the meeting that was held in new Orleans recently. Perhaps something can be done to remedy this in the future.

First of all your two scientists spoke very well and directly to the point; the talks were simple so that everyone could understand; however, one of them who is small of stature for some reason or other did not use the loud speaker which was arranged for him so that while I heard everything sitting up in front, I doubt seriously that the people in the rear understood. Your pictures are excellent -- exactly illustrating the points you wish to bring home to the public. Then when these were finished Mr. T. Hale Boggs an upstanding youngish Congressional Representative from Louisiana rose to his "powerful feet" and let loose with the kind or oratory that only our politicians have ( I am very sure everyone heard him; it was a truly reactionary speech with "arm ourselves to the teeth and BEWARE OF RUSSIA; should we drop a few atmoci bombs now so that she won't get the chance to etc. etc. " It seems to me to be a terrible mistake to have any politician speak at such a meeting except perhaps such men as Pepper from Florida or Moss and a few enlightened men that the senate and House can boast of. With the aim that you have and that we should all have, it just seems a shame that such a thing could happen when I know that you have been doing a wonderful job to try to raise money for your most worthy enterprise-- an enterprise that means we shall either sink or swim and that if we have any descendants left will lead that kind of life that we shudder to think of.

I enclose another dollar which I wish could be multiplied many times.

Sincerely yours, (signature) Lillian Marcus

The chairman, sensing, I suppose, how ridiculous it was for Boggs to have spoken as he did and dreading what would come, dispensed with the QUESTION PERIOD.