Apr 23 RECD (from [Mrs. Dukas])

5216 41 Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. April 14th, 1947.

Professor Albert Einstein, Princeton, New Jersey.

Dear Sir: I have sent in a contribution to your Emergency Committee to help in this very important project, but have decided to write you directly as there are some aspects of the situation that I feel you are not fully aware of.

I agree with the circular in that the world situation is extremely critical, so much so, in fact, that it calls for desperate attempts being made immediately to save civilization.

Human selfishness is the principal threat to our present stage of civilization. "Free Enterprise" is the Frankenstein "monster" that threatens civilization today, not atomic fission. Capitalism has had it's day, and must give way to Socialism, which to me means only running the world for the benefit of all the people, instead of the minority who own the world today. Under Socialism, atomic fission would be a blessing instead of a curse.

Professor Einstein, you say a new type of thinking is required if mankind is to survive. This assumes that the average man is capable of constructive thinking. I am a printer and am surrounded by these average men, and I know that you are in grave error if you think that a million or even a billion dollars, wisely used, will have any effect upon the thinking of the "village square". I live among them and am positive that it is folly to even try to save civilization by any method that depends upon any action the PEOPLE will take.

Has it ever occured to you, Professor Einstein, that mankind's hope for survival may depend upon you alone? You are the only man who can go before Congress and tell them, and, at the same time, the whole world, the "Facts of Life". They will listen to you, as they will listen to no one else.

Ask for a joint session of Congress. Tell them the "Facts of Life". Tell them that Capitalism must give way at once to Socialism if they want civilization to continue. No other remedy will suffice.