Letter from Linus Pauling to Max Perutz. May 13, 1958. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Check from LP to American Association of Naturalists for $5.50. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, December 1957-December 1959), Box #4.025, Folder #25.1] [Also filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Check Registers, 1957-1962), Box #4.076, Folder #76.1]
• Check from LP to Tv-Time for $15.00. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, December 1957-December 1959), Box #4.025, Folder #25.1] [Also filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Check Registers, 1957-1962), Box #4.076, Folder #76.1]
• Letter from Barbara Kamb, Dodd, Mead & Company, to LP RE: Writes that the galleys came in and look very good. Mentions that she noticed that on the galleys, LP's estimate of the carbon-14 in the atmosphere and ocean varied from 170,000 lbs. and 160,000 lbs. Asks if it is all right with LP to do the indexing there. [Filed under LP Books: 1958b3.1]
• Letter from David J. Sachs to LP RE: Calls LP's performance on "Meet the Press" magnificent and hopes LP and others can expose the true dangers of nuclear testing before it is too late. Handwritten note indicates it was answered June 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Research Notebooks: 21R]
• Letter from Dr. J.R. Ruck Keene, The Chemical Society, Burlington House, London, to LP RE: Pleased to learn that LP will be participating in the Kekule Symposium on September 15-17. Requests the amount of any traveling expenses for which LP would like to be reimbursed. [Letter from LP to J.R. Ruck Keene May 22, 1958] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1958s2.4]
• Letter from Executive Secretary, Gates and Crellin Laboratories, to Georganna Wallace. RE: Sends a reprint by LP. Suggests that she write to the Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1958) #444.6]
• Letter from Howard Parsons to LP RE: Thanks him for his informative and courageous stand on "Meet the Press" and hopes him success in the future. Handwritten note indicates it was answered June 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Research Notebooks: 21R]
• Letter from LP to Barbara Kamb, Dodd, Mead & Company, RE: Writes that he was dissatisfied with "Meet the Press" and explains that there is a possibility he would be able to come to Vermont, since he will be on the east coast in June. Mentions that he thinks the type face looks very good. [Filed under LP Books: 1958b3.1]
• Letter from LP to Dorothy Rubin. RE: Thanks her for her letter. Was dissatisfied with the program. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (R: Correspondence, 1955-1959) #341.4]
• Letter from LP to Dr. L. B. Berkner, President, Associated Universities, Inc., RE: States that Dr. Bjorksten's statements, on attacking the problems of insoluble cross linkages of protein and how that relates to aging, seem quite reasonable. Is concerned that the proposed ways of attacking the problem would be difficult to carry out and might not be done properly, making them useless. Does not have confidence in Bjorksten that the work would be satisfactorily carried out. [Letter from L.V. Berkner to LP May 6, 1958, Letter from L.V. Berkner to LP June 3, 1958] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1958), #39.1]
• Letter from LP to Editor of TIME RE: Writes that TIME published a statement that said his estimate of the increase of carbon 14 in the atmosphere was 50 times too high. Protests that it is not too high and TIME is incorrect. [Telegram from LP to Editor May 22, 1958] [Filed under LP Manuscripts of Articles: 1958a.15]
• Letter from LP to Harry Lobel. RE: Informs him that LP doesn't have enough background in the subject to form a reliable opinion. Recommends he contact Zinsser. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L:Correspondence, 1958) #231.4]
• Letter from LP to Lois Gardner. RE: Thanks her for her letter. Informs her why he was dissatisfied with the program. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (G: Correspondence, 1958) #141.2]
• Letter from LP to Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Rosener Jr.. RE: Thanks him for his letter. Was dissatisfied with the program. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (R: Correspondence, 1955-1959) #341.4]
• Letter from LP to Mr. Coyle A. Boyd RE: Describes his encouragement by Boyd's letter. Discusses his frustration with "Meet the Press" because he feels that the press representatives were not knowledgeable on the subject and that much time was wasted. Mentions that he had hoped to have the opportunity to give more factual information to the people of the United States. [Letter from Coyle A. Boyd to LP, May 13, 1958] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1958), #39.1]
• Letter from LP to Mrs. H. H. Armistead RE: Thanks Armistead for writing to NBC and the "Meet the Press" program. States his dissatisfaction with the experience. Clarifies that the Rosenbergs were not executed for treason, but were rather executed for conspiracy to commit espionage. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (A: Correspondence, 1958), #13.1]
• Letter from LP to President, National Broadcasting Company. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (National Broadcasting Company) #283.3]

  CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

  PASADENA 4

  GATES AND CRELL1N LABORATORIES OF CHEMISTRY

  15 May 1958

  President

  National Broadcasting Company

  New York, N.Y.

  Dear Sir:

  On Sunday 11 May 1953 I appeared on your program Meet the Press. The reason for my appearance was, of course, to discuss the nature of nuclear war and of the tests of nuclear weapons, especially their biological effects. This is a subject in which I have been deeply interested and it is one that concerns every person in the United States.

  I am writing now to tell you that I think the producer handled his job very badly.

  I think that his greatest error was his failure to have present any representative of the press who had any knowledge of the subject.

  In addition to Mr. Spivak himself, who seems to know nothing about the subject, there were three representatives of the press, none of whom seems to know anything about the subject. The questions that they asked me were poor ones, which did not bear sufficiently closely on the great problems involved, and it was only with difficulty that I was able to introduce some pieces of information of value to the large group of viewers of the program. It was evident that none of the members of the panel had any basis for judgment as to the quality of my answers.

  There are several representatives of the press in Washington and New York who have an excellent understanding of this subject. I might mention Mr. Earl Ubell of the New York Herald Tribune, just as an example. If even one reporter with some background of information about the subject had been on the panel, the program would have been significantly better.

  Also, I feel thoroughly dissatisfied with the behavior of Mr. Spivak himself. We had only 25 minutes on the air, to discuss this great problem; the greatest problem facing the world today. And yet Mr. Spivak wasted a large fraction of this time by dragging in puerilities, completely extraneous to the problem itself. I judge that he has no understanding of the present serious world situation and of the issues involved, and that he is not interested in having the program function in such a way as to provide information to the American people.

  Sincerely yours,

  Linus Pauling:w

  cc Mr. Spivak

• Letter from Lester Anderson, Honors Institute for Young Scientists to LP RE: Asks LP the title of the films he made for the NSF and from where they might be leased for a 6-week period for an institute for talented high school students in math, chemistry, and physics. [Letter from Executive Secretary to Anderson May 23, 1958] [Filed under LP Science: (National Science Foundation: Grants, Exhibits, 1954-1964), Box #14.030, Folder #30.5]
• Letter from M. Siegel to LP RE: Writes that she is saddened that the panel of "Meet the Press" furthered the confusion regarding nuclear testing and mentions that she is also writing to "Meet the Press." Handwritten note indicates it was answered June 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Research Notebooks: 21R]
• Letter from Milan Bier, Dept. of Organic Chemistry and Enzymology, Fordham University, to LP RE: Asks if LP has any data from the preparative electrophoresis apparatus that LP bought from the Perkin-Elmer Corporation. States he is writing a review article on electrophoresis without stabilizing media for a electrophoresis book, and encloses an outline of the book. [Letter from LP to Dr. Milan Bier May 22, 1958] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1958), #39.1]
• Letter from Professor Alec Sehon, Chemistry Dept., McGill University, to LP RE: Pleased that LP has accepted the invitation to address the Montreal section of the Chemical Institute of Canada on October 15. Hotel reservations will be made for LP and AHP for October 14-17. LP should let him know the time of his arrival. [Letter from LP to Alec Sehon May 9, 1958, Letter from Alec Sehon to LP November 20, 1958] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1958s2.10]
• Letter from Stephanie M. May to LP, RE: The Connecticut Committee for Sane Nuclear Policy would like to have the scientists who have signed LP's petition be among the sponsors of the committee. As a result, May would like LP to send her a copy of the list of signers from Connecticut. May is sad to hear that LP was treated in a shocking manner on "Meet the Press." [LP's reply June 2, 1958] [Filed under LP Peace: (An Appeal by Scientists to the Governments and People of the World), Box #5.002, Folder #2.1]
• Letter from Willard N. James, Hollins College, to LP. RE: Invites him to appear on campus for a convocation address. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (J: Correspondence, 1958) #192.24]
• Letter from William Winter to LP RE: Thanks LP for his appearance on "Meet the Press" and tells him to keep up the good work. Handwritten note indicates it was answered June 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Research Notebooks: 21R]
• Memo from LP to R. W. Lippman RE: Asks if he has seen a paper (Metal Content Correlation in Aging Aorta. [Filed under LP Science: Box #11.088, Folder #88.13]
• Newspaper Clipping, Correspondence: "Pauling Interview Protested," New York Times, May 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: 1958n.45]
• Newspaper Clipping: "Pauling Defends Views on T.V.," California Tech, May 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1956-1960), Box #6.007, Folder #7.143]
• Newspaper Clipping: "Pauling Interview Protested," New York Times, May 15, 1958. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1956-1960), Box #6.007, Folder #7.141]