November 13, 1947
Mr. Joseph Halle Schaffner
3 Riverview Terrace
New York, New York
Dear Joe:
It was a great disappointment to me (and also to Ava Helen) not to see you at the time of the Princeton meeting last month. We had been hoping that you would be there—not only to have the pleasure of seeing you, but also in order that the Emergency Committee could profit by your enthusiasm and wisdom.
I also telephoned your home when we were in New York after the Princeton meeting, but got no answer—this was the middle of October, on Saturday, when you without doubt were away. I had tried to get you by phone when we passed through New York on our way back from England, at the end of July, but without success. Our stay in New York at that time was for only a few hours, because our crossing of the Atlantic by air was delayed for three days, and our train reservations had originally been made to permit us a three-day stay in New York.
Did you see Mr. Henry Usborne, M.P., when he was in the United States last month? I am feeling enthusiastic about him and the World Movement for World Federal Government that he and some fellow M.P.'s have devised. This plan of theirs offers a chance for immediate action, thus differing from other world government plans.
Ava Helen and I and the three younger children are expecting to sail for England on December 26. I have been upset for two days now, trying to decide whether I should go early to England or not. A letter came two days ago saying that The Royal Society would present the Davy Medal to me at 2:30 P.M. on December 1, and expressing the hope that I could be present. The decision as to whether I shall fly over next week is not yet made, but it seems likely that our original plans will not be changed. It will be hard enough for me to get all of my work here done before leaving in December.
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I am sending you under separate cover a copy of my new textbook for college freshmen. I hope that you find a chance to read a bit of it, and that you find it interesting.
Cordially yours,
Linus Pauling:par