Letter from Linus Pauling to Gunnar Jahn. October 2, 1961. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 2 pp.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Article: “Fallout Shelters: Dig We Must?” Newsweek. [Filed under LP Peace: Materials re: Fallout and Radiation Shelters, and Civil Defense, 1954-1961: Box #7.007, Folder #7.11]
• Letter from Albert E. Dane to LP RE: Discusses his studies about the right-handed and left-handed qualities of nature in r elation to spiral formations. [Letter from LP to Dane October 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence, D: Individual Correspondence, 1960-1966 Box 99 Folder 99.3]
• Letter from Arnold B. Larson to LP, RE: Discusses Kennedy’s expansion of the civil defense program, and how it has shown up a lot recently in the media.  Handwritten at the top: “7 years in civil defense!”  Handwritten at the bottom: “Ans’d NMW!” [Letter from Larson to LP, August 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Correspondence, 1961-1963), #232.1]
• Letter from Bertil Svahnstrom, to LP. RE: Thanks him for his nice message to their march. [Filed under LP Correspondence (S: Individual Correspondence): Box #370 Folder #370.10]
• Letter from Dr. Robert Citron, M.D., to LP, RE: Sends information about cancer lipid immunochemical research data and techniques.  Handwritten at the bottom: Was pleased to hear LP’s recent address at the Conference on Immunology and Disease.  Believes that the cancer lipid immunotechnology can provide significant protection against cancer caused by nuclear fallout. Attachment: Quote from Science News Letter, January 21, 1961; “Russia has intercontinental ballistic missiles that can be aimed accurately and reach any U.S. target within 30 minutes.” [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Individual Correspondence. (Citron-Conant)), #66.1]
• Letter from Eleanore Garber, International Affairs Committee, Oberlin College, to LP, RE: Invites LP to speak at Oberlin during the coming academic year. [Letter from LP to Garber, October 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (O: Correspondence, 1937-1965), #300.23] 
• Letter from Erik Selmer, to LP. RE: Asks for an autograph and photo of LP. [Filed under LP Correspondence (S: Correspondence, 1961): Box #381 Folder #381.2] 
• Letter from Evelyn Berk to LP, RE: Miss Berk is an 11th grade student interested in DNA.  Asks if LP can send her any information on the subject and any ideas as to an experiment that she can carry out. [Letter from LP to Evelyn Berk, October 16, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1958-1961), #39.4]
• Letter from Francis Hoague to LP RE: Writes that they will send LP a copy of the Complaint against the New York Daily News when it has been completed. Proposes a fee for how much Hoague will be paid after the trial is settled. Also mentions that he purchased a copy of the partial deposition of LP and was startled by how far a field it went. [Letter from LP to Hoague October 21, 1961] [Filed under LP Biographical: (Pauling v. News Syndicate Co., Inc., 1961-1966, 1971), Box #3.020, Folder #20.1] 
• Letter from LP to Anthony Williams, Consolidated Real Estate Company, RE: LP informs Williams that the facts he states are false. [Letter from Williams to LP September 14, 1961, Letter from Sherrill Leverich to Richard J. Warren January 3, 1962] [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.9] 
• Letter from LP to Brock E. Brush, RE: LP was pleased to be invited to deliver the 1962 Beaumont Lecture on April 2nd, but is sorry to say that his schedule does not allow him to accept. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1960-1962), #445.2]
• Letter from LP to Clyde F. Diddle, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. RE: Shall plan to be present at the press conference on October 6. [Letter from Diddle September 27, 1961] [Filed under LP Speeches: (Speeches by LP, 1961) Box # 1961s3 Folder #1961s3.6] 
• Letter from LP to Director Gunnar Jahn. [Filed under LP Science: (World Academy of Sciences, 1958-1963), Box #14.043, Folder #43.1] 

  8 October 1961

  Dear Friend:

  On our return from our trip to Vermont, Germany, and London, my wife and I have resumed our schedule of lecturing about the need for peace in the world. She went to San Francisco ten days ago, to speak for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and also for the Unitarian Church Forum, and I spoke three days ago in a meeting in Los Angeles.

  I am especially concerned now not only by the resumption of nuclear testing but also by the great campaign that is going on to convince the American people that they should build fallout shelters. The construction of fallout shelters is, of course, a form of military activity. The protective effect of the fallout shelters can be completely neutralized by a fourfold increase in the magnitude of the attack. I have made this point in my last speech and in the press conference that I held in connection with the speech. A copy of my press release is enclosed.

  It is shocking to think that the two great nuclear powers should have got the world into the present situation, where there is the possibility that all of the people in the United States and the U.S.S.R. and in other European countries might be killed, if a nuclear war were to occur either by design or by accident. Could any responsible and moral person have planned to achieve this end? I think not - I think that we have got to this position because nobody was able to interfere with the course of events - the American authorities, as individuals, made decisions that they considered to be necessary ones, and the Russian authorities also made decisions that they considered to be necessary ones.

  It is my opinion that the Pugwash Conferences have much value. I attended the Seventh Pugwash Conference from 4 to 8 September 1961, in Stowe, Vermont. I did not think that very much was accomplished in a formal way, but the exchange of opinions and the increased amount of personal understanding, especially between American participants and Russian participants, are of great value, in my opinion.

  In my letter of 15 June 1961 to you I said that I would send you a copy of the report on the Pugwash Conferences that was issued by the Internal Security Subcommittee of the United States Senate, along with its other reports attacking the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy and attacking me and other peace workers in the United States. I am afraid that I did not send this pamphlet to you, and accordingly I now enclose a copy.

  The report on the Pugwash Conferences contains much interesting material. Appendix V, beginning on page 107, gives a good idea of the Sixth Conference (I did not attend it). The statements made by Dr. Jerome Wiesner are especially interesting. Dr. Wiesner is now the Special Adviser for Science and Technology to President Kennedy. I think that he is a very able man, and that we are fortunate in having such an able man as the Science Adviser to our President.

  The conclusions stated by the Subcommittee about the Sixth Pugwash Conference, pages 93 and 94 give a much different picture of the Sixth Conference from that given by the round table discussion from page 107 on. The Subcommittee makes great use of a special technique for misrepresenting the facts. For example, on page 94 it is said "The full proceedings have never been made public In the United States although they have been seat to Soviet Premier Niklta S. Khrushchev." The Subcommittee misrepresents the situation here by not mentioning that they were also sent to the President of the United States.

  I think that the situation in the United States now is that these reports by the Internal Security Subcommittee, like those of the Un-American Activities Committee of the House of Representatives, have very little effect, because these committees have been so extreme in their actions and statements that they have succeeded in bringing discredit upon themselves. My wife and I have so far distributed 50,000 copies of the Oslo Statement, mainly by way of the American Friends Service Committee, the Unitarian, Methodist, and other churches, the Society for Social Responsibility in Science, and similar organizations, as well as in connection with our public speeches.

  My wife joins me in sending best regards to you. We probably shall come to Stockholm next summer, to participate in the Seventh International Conference on Coordination Chemistry, and we hope that we can spend a few days in Oslo again, at that time. It will be a pleasure to see you again.

  Cordially yours,

  [Linus Pauling]

• Letter from LP to Dr. E. R. Sears, Curtis Hall, University of Missouri, RE: LP wishes he could attend the symposium, but he can’t; he will be attending a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Solvay Chemistry Congress. [Letter from Sears to LP, September 21, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1959-1961), #258.3]
• Letter from LP to Dr. H.R. Fishack RE: LP is sending Fishback a press release which is approximately 1,000 words and suggests that he cold use that for the article or also the letter LP wrote for Time magazine.  LP is working on some articles on fallout shelters but they are not complete. [Letters from Fishback to LP September 21, 1961, October 3, 1961] [Filed under LP Peace: Materials re: Fallout and Radiation Shelters, and Civil Defense, 1954-1961: Box #7.007, Folder #7.22]       
• Letter from LP to Gregory Ain RE: Writes that he is going to the ranch next week and will then discuss the situation of having full-time ranch manager or not. Explains that when he returns, he plans to decide whether to go ahead with the construction of a house and will get in contact with Ain. Agrees that they should meet in the evening sometime. [Letter from Ain to LP September 29, 1961] [Filed under LP Biographical: (Deer Flat Ranch: Correspondence, 1957-1995), Box #4.047, Folder #47.1] 
• Letter from LP to J.M. Valois RE: Verifies that Ralph Haskin is to serve as LP’s agent in connection with Valois vacating the service station and house at Piedras Blancas. Writes that their agreement is that the service station is to be vacated by October 1, the house by October 15, and the café is to be moved before February 1. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Deer Flat Ranch: Correspondence, 1957-1995), Box #4.047, Folder #47.1] 
• Letter from LP to Professor R. M. Featherstone, Department of Pharmacology, University of California Medical Center, RE: LP has heard that Professor Greenberg retires this year and that the Medical School is looking for a new Professor of Biochemistry and Chairman of the Department.  LP suggests Professor Matthew Stanley Meselson; he gives a brief background of him and lists his qualifications. [Letter from LP to Featherstone, October 19, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Individual Correspondence. (Mead - Miller), #246.8]
• Letter from LP to Ralph Haskin, U.S. Forest Service, RE: Asks if Haskin will have time to talk with Mr. Valois about the arrangements that need to be made when he and his wife vacate the service station and house. Mentions that it will probably be necessary to check the amounts of gasoline, oil, and other stock, and make an estimate of their value. Hopes Haskin is reaching a decision about whether or not he wants to accept the offer to work full-time. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Deer Flat Ranch: Correspondence, 1957-1995), Box #4.047, Folder #47.1] 
• Letter from Leo H. Winters to LP, RE: Winters asks LP where he can sign up for the Society for Social Responsibility in Science. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1960-1962), #445.2]
• Letter from Mrs. George Allan Willard to LP RE: Willard’s son has been diagnosed with leukemia and asks for any information or advice LP can give insofar as possible treatments. [Letter from LP to Willard March 30, 1962] [Filed under LP Peace: Materials re: Fallout and Radiation Shelters, and Civil Defense, 1962-1965: Box #7.008, Folder #8.10]  
• Letter from Norman Cousins, Editor, “Saturday Review”, to LP, RE: Mr. Cousins says that there is a big difference between LP saying that he never received a reply from him, and that his reply was unsatisfactory.  LP still has not met Mr. Cousins’ main point, that his accusation against SANE is totally unfounded.  Mr. Cousins is sure that their correspondence has been as unsatisfactory to LP as it has been to him, and is therefore terminating it with this letter. [Letters from LP to Cousins September 26, 1961, October 27, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Individual Correspondence. (Corns-Cushing)), #68.6]
• Letter from Samuel Sochis, to LP. RE: Enclose a check to help sponsor the tribute to A. L. Wirin. [Filed under LP Correspondence (S: Correspondence, 1961): Box #381 Folder #381.2]       
• Magazine Article: “Linus Pauling Talks About Soviet Testing”, U.S. News & World Report, October 2, 1961. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1961-1965), Box #6.008, Folder #8.119]
• Newspaper Clipping: “Pauling to Address Los Angeles Rally”, Militant, October 2, 1961. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1961-1965), Box #6.008, Folder #8.115]
• Note from LP to self. RE: Received a telephone call from Fred Shirley regarding his son who has classical hemophilia. [Filed under LP Correspondence (S: Correspondence, 1961): Box #381 Folder #381.2] 
• Note from Mr. Crane to LP, RE: Thanks LP for speaking with him and his wife, lifting their optimism.  Invites LP and AHP to dinner some night. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Correspondence, 1961-1962), #76.1]
• Publication: Linus Pauling talks about Soviet testing. U.S. News & World Report, 51, no. 14 (October 2, 1961): 94-95.  [Filed under LP Biographical: (Interviews with and about Linus Pauling, 1960-1964), Box #5.020, Folder #20.2]