April 19, 1937

Dr. Carl Niemann

Rockefeller Institute

New York, New York

Dear Dr. Niemann:

I was very glad to learn from Professor Millikan that you had accepted the position ultimately offered to you, and I am looking forward with much enthusiasm to the time when you will take up residence here.

You have perhaps heard by this time that I have been appointed Chairman of the Division and Director of the Laboratories, and that application has been made to the Rockefeller Foundation for a grant permitting further development of our work in organic chemistry. I also wrote to Weaver a few days ago requesting that you be granted a training fellowship for the year July 1, 1937 to July 1, 1938, to permit you to visit and study in European laboratories and also to complete your work with Dr. Bergmann. The Institute, will, of course, bring the stipend and expense account allotted to you up to the sum provided for in your appointment to our staff. I would like to know what your plans are in detail regarding the coming year.

All of the members of the family join me in sending greetings to you.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauline

April 19, 1937

Mr. Morris Miller

65 Carrington Avenue

Providence, Rhode Island

Dear Mr. Miller:

I think that your idea of using the inner electrons of carbon to complete the valence [s]hell in carbon monoxide is not a bad one. A similar suggestion was made in regard to some other substances about fifteen years ago by Professor Eastman of the University of California. Since then our ideas regarding the structure of molecules have developed to such an extent that it is now possible to say definitely that the inner electrons in carbon monoxide stay inside and do not come up into the valence shell. If you continue to study chemistry, you will probably learn in an advanced course in college what the structure of carbon monoxide is and how we now account for its peculiar properties.

I can not tell from reading your letter whether it would be wise for you to plan to prepare yourself for a scientific career or not. You seem to be interested in chemistry; if you stand at the top of your classes in scientific courses in school, and if you keep up your interest in scientific work, I would think that you might look forward to becoming a professional scientist. On the other hand, if your scholastic record is not outstanding, perhaps you should look forward to working in some less strongly competitive field.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:mrl