Letter from Linus Pauling to Gunnar Jahn. October 30, 1961. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 2 pp.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Card from Dr. Calvin Mark Lee, Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, to LP, RE: “What is the van der Waals radius of deuterium?” [Letter from LP to Lee, November 11, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Correspondence, 1961-1963), #232.1] 
• Journal Article: “U.S. and Moscow Reverse Roles on Testing at the UN.” I.F. Stone’s Weekly. [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.40]
• Letter from A.A. and Myrtle Liederbach to LP and AHP, RE: Liederbach is enclosing $1.00 and asks that LP mail as many copies of the Oslo Statement as the money will provide.  Liederbach promises to enclose them in their mailings and distribute them as best she can.  [Filed under LP Peace: (Oslo Conference Against the Spread of Nuclear Weapons, May 2-7, 1961), Box #2.004, Folder #4.4]
• Letter from Anne Spencer, to LP. RE: Asks for his autograph. [Filed under LP Correspondence (S: Correspondence, 1961): Box #381 Folder #381.2] 
• Letter from Dr. R. C. La Force, Department of Mineral Technology, University of California, Berkeley, to LP, RE: Sends a copy of a paper in which he makes conjectures about the evolution of optical isomers, in the hopes that LP will have time to look at it and submit it to the Proceedings of the National Academy.  Dr. La Force has just returned from six weeks in Japan, which he found to be very informative.  He plans to phone Frank Catchpool in the next week or so to discuss the latest progress in the subject of calorimetry. [Letter from Harris to La Force, November 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Individual Correspondence. (Lacey-Lattimer)), #212.2]       
• Letter from Francis X. Deale to President John F. Kennedy, RE: Sends a Declaration and Resolution to be considered for introduction to the United States General Assembly. [Note from Mr. Deale to LP, December 27, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (K: Individual Correspondence. (Kennedy-Klein, Morton)), #198.3] 
• Letter from George Barati, Musical Director, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, to LP, RE: Updates LP on his plans.  Asks if LP can call attention to his name at the Guggenheim Foundation through his many contacts. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1958-1961), #39.4]
• Letter from LP to Director Gunnar Jahn. [Filed under LP Science: (World Academy of Sciences, 1958-1963), Box #14.043, Folder #43.1]

  30 October 1961

  Dear Friend,

  The news has just reached me that the Soviet Union has exploded a great bomb, which is now estimated as perhaps 100 megatons in size. This is a shockingly immoral action. I think that the damage done to the human race by the radioactive fallout is probably much greater per megaton for these Russian explosions than for the earlier nuclear explosions, for two reasons. First, these great Russian bombs probably could not be exploded as ground bursts, as were our bombs at Bikini, because the droplets containing 80 percent of the radioactive fission products would fall to earth over Asian territory where the intensely radioactive materials shortly after the explosion would cause damage to human beings. In our tests in the Pacific this local fallout fell into the ocean, and did not do much harm. The local fallout constitutes about 80 percent of the total fallout, so that the Russian tests might distribute five times as much fission radioactivity per megaton over the whole world, as stratospheric fallout, as was distributed, per megaton, in the Pacific tests. A second reason is that the Russian tests are carried out at high latitude, and the time of residence of the radioactive fission products in the stratosphere is less than for tests carried out at Bikini. A smaller amount of the radioactive material has accordingly decomposed by the time that the material leaves the stratosphere and falls to the surface of the earth than in the case of the Pacific explosions.

  Last Friday I received a letter, eight pages, from Premier Khrushchev. I read in the newspapers that the same letter had been sent to President Nkrumah of Ghana, Prime Minister Ikeda of Japan, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, American scientist Dr. Linus Pauling, and a group of British MPs, all of whom had sent protests to him. The letter repeated the arguments in the Soviet government's statement of 31 August, that the Soviet Union was forced to increase the power of its nuclear deterrent in order to prevent an attack by the West, and that the rearming of West Germany constituted a menace that the Soviet Union could not ignore. The only encouraging thing about the letter from Khrushchev is that it ends with the sentences "The Soviet Government has repeatedly declared that it is ready to sign a treaty on general and complete disarmament under the most strict international control. We are ready to do so right now. I would like to express my hope that the peoples of our countries will join their efforts in the struggle for a speediest solution of the problem of general and complete disarmament, for complete and unconditional ban on nuclear weapons, for delivering mankind from the threat of another world war."

  These statements are closely similar to statements made by President Kennedy last month before the General Assembly of the United Nations. I feel sure that the present highly dangerous world situation will be resolved before long through international agreements leading to general and complete disarmament, even though there are serious problems, such as the economic dislocation in the United States that would result from a decrease in the military budget, that need to be solved.

  I shall probably go to London tomorrow for a television appearance about radioactive fallout on Friday, and then fly home on Saturday. As I mentioned in my last letter, my wife and I are going to Moscow on 18 November. We were invited by the Soviet Academy of Sciences to participate in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Russian scientist Lomonosov, after whom the University of Moscow is named. I answered by saying that I was not able to come, but the invitation was renewed, with increased urgency, in that the Academy of Sciences would like to have the two American honorary members, Dr. Bronk (President of the U. S. National Academy of Sciences) and me present, together with scientists from other countries. I am hoping that this visit to Moscow can be used to help the cause of peace.

  There has been vigorous discussion of the Russian bomb tests and of fallout shelters for protection in a nuclear war. The newspapers and magazines are full of articles on these subjects. I enclose a newspaper that shows the sort of discussion that is going on. I have tried to emphasize the point that the construction of shelters is a form of militarism. The protection provided would be completely neutralized by increasing the scale of attack by the factor four. It seems to me that there are powerful efforts being made now to prepare the American people to accept nuclear war.

  Nevertheless, I feel that we have to continue to fight for peace in the world and to be hopeful.

  Cordially,

  [Linus Pauling]

• Letter from LP to Dr. Alton Ochsner, Ochsner Clinic, RE: LP is “tremendously pleased” to have received Ochsner’s letter.  The one mistake he made while writing his article on aging and death was to not mention Ochsner’s book on cigarette smoking.  AHP is one of his most ardent admirers, and has given his book to many of her friends who smoke.  Handwritten at the bottom: “Harvey Lecture, Sickle Cell Anemia, Sr 90, C-14, Bryn Mawr, Frontier, Annihilation, Aging and Death.” [Letters from Ochsner to LP, October 21, 1961 and November 9, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (O: Correspondence, 1937-1965), #300.23]
• Letter from LP to Dr. C.D. Graber, Usareur Medical Laboratory, Landstuhl Army Medical Center, RE: LP did not prepare a manuscript on that paper.  However, much of the material has been printed by LP’s associates in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. [Letter from Dr. Graber to LP, October 14, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (G: Correspondence, 1957-1961), #141.5]
• Letter from LP to Dr. John H. Northrop, Department of Bacteriology, University of California Berkeley, RE: LP was interested in reading the paper on agglutination, and has no reason to disagree with Northrop’s interpretation of the experimental results. [Letter from Northrop to LP, October 25, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (N: Individual Correspondence. (Newman - Nowmacki)), #277.14] 
• Letter from LP to E. B. Wilson. RE: Would like it if he came to Pasadena. Doesn’t know if he will attend the Academy meeting. Informs him that AHP is on a lecture tour. [Letter from Wilson October 25, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence (W: Individual Correspondence): Box #438 Folder #438.4]               
• Letter from LP to Gerald W. Long, President, SCOPE, San Francisco State College, RE: LP is sorry to say that his schedule for the next few months is so full, and in some ways uncertain, that he cannot accept the invitation to give a public lecture.  He hopes that Long will contact him in the future about it. [Letter from Long to LP, October 12, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Correspondence, 1961-1963), #232.1]
• Letter from LP to John F. Wilson, RE: LP regrets that his heavy schedule at Amherst prevents him from accepting Wilson's invitation to speak at Williams College.
• Letter from LP to Karl Knapp, Caltech ACLU, RE: Explains that he and AHP are leading such complicated lives currently that he will have to decline Knapp’s invitation to speak at a dinner meeting before the Caltech chapter of ACLU. Hopes it will be possible to accept the invitation sometime during the second term instead. [Letter from Knapp to LP October 18, 1961] [Filed under LP Biographical: Assorted Materials re: Civil Liberties), Box #2.046, Folder #46.1] 
• Letter from LP to N. Reznichenko, Embassy of the USSR, RE: LP thanks Reznichenko for returning LP's passport. It arrived a few minutes after LP sent a telegram asking for its return. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (U: Correspondence, 1936-1970), #421.19]
• Letter from LP to N. Reznichenko, Embassy of the USSR, RE: Please return LP's passport by special delivery today. LP is leaving for England on Wednesday (September 1st). [Filed under LP Correspondence: (U: Correspondence, 1936-1970), #421.19]
• Letter from LP to Professor Swift, RE: Recommends Dr. John Francis Catchpool to be reappointed as a research fellow; it is very important that he continue his work. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Catchpool, John Francis, 1959-1994), #62.3] 
• Letter from LP to Rev. Dan Apra, The Arlington Community Church, RE: LP explains that Rev. Apra must not be reading papers such as the Associated Press and United Press, because there have been articles in those about his protests.  He details several others where his comments and articles can be found.  Also mentions that he is attaching the October and November issues of The Minority of One, which carries an article written by LP. [Letter from Rev. Apra to LP, October 27, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (A: Correspondence, 1958-1961), #13.4]
• Letter from LP to Roger E. Williams, RE: LP is pleased to learn that Williams is hoping to get a job with a peace organization when he returns from Cambridge University. However, LP does not have any suggestion to make to Williams about any positions he might be able to apply for. LP says that the job opportunities in the field are not numerous, and that much of the work is done by volunteers. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1960-1962), #445.2]
• Letter from LP to T. Katsurai RE: Surmises that the new edition of Introduction to Quantum Mechanics will not be finished for a year or more.  Explains that the matter of translating the text is in the hands of the publisher, McGraw-Hill. [Letter from Katsurai to LP October 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Books: Unpb.8]
• Letter from LP to The Head of the Bulgarian Radio and Television RE: Accepts the request to participate in their poll about present world problems and answers their questions. Writes that he believes it is very important to move toward the goal of general and complete disarmament and war should be eliminated because in a great nuclear war, both the United States and the Soviet Union would be destroyed. [Letter from Head of Bulgarian Radio and Television to LP October 16, 1961] [Filed under LP Biographical: (Interviews with and about Linus Pauling, 1960-1964), Box #5.020, Folder #20.3] 
• Letter from M. S. Arnoni, Editor of The Minority of One newsletter to AHP, RE: Regrets AHP’s inability to address his meeting. Plans to print biography article for LP’s birthday. Wants to start a LP presidential campaign for 1964. [Letter from LP to M. S. Arnoni, October 19, 1961] [Letter from M. S. Arnoni to LP, September 1, 1962] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (A: Individual Correspondence) #6.15]
• Letter from Michael Levi Matar, Counsellor at Law, to LP RE: Writes that Professor Harper sent him LP’s letter with regard to his availability for the continuation of his deposition. Asks what his schedule is like and when they could arrange a meeting. [Letter from LP to Matar December 22, 1961] [Filed under LP Biographical: (Pauling v. News Syndicate Co., Inc., 1961-1966, 1971), Box #3.020, Folder #20.1] 
• Letter from Paul Rosbaud to LP RE: Thanks LP for the letter of congratulations. Asks LP to let him know if he will be in England or somewhere in Europe so that they can meet and speak. Will ask peter to keep him informed about LP’s traveling plans. [Letter from LP to Rosbaud October 17, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: R: Individual Correspondence. (Rosbaud-Rundle), #336.1] 
• Letter from Peter Cohn to LP, RE: Requests information on LP’s statement that only a section of Oregon would be immune from the atomic bomb. [Letter from LP to Peter Cohn, November 1, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Correspondence, 1961-1962), #76.1] 
• Magazine Article: Newsweek.  Pauling is cited as speaking about cancer in relation to the atomic bomb.  [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.44]
• Magazine Article: “Pauling Urges Soviets Not to Explode Bomb.”  C & EN. [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.43]
• Magazine Article: “Superbomb.” Newsweek. [Letter from Ted McNulty to LP January 23, 1961] [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.42]
• Newspaper Clipping: ‘Pauling Views Are Rather Confusing’ Sunnyvale Daily Standard-Mountain View Register Leader. [Filed under LP Speeches: (Speeches by LP, 1961) Box # 1961s3 Folder #1961s3.11]
• Newspaper Clipping: “A Graphic Barometer of World Fallout Peril as the Atomic Testing Goes On and On.” National Guardian. [Filed under LP Newspaper Clippings: Newspaper Clippings, Magazine and Journal Articles related to LP, 1961: Box #1961n2, Folder #1961n2.41]
• Newspaper Clipping: “Not Quoting Pauling This Time”, I.F. Stone’s Weekly, October 30, 1961. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1961-1965), Box #6.008, Folder #8.133]
• Newspaper Clipping: “USSR Bomb Test Today Will ‘Deform’ 400,000 Children, Pauling Estimates”, Sunnyvale  (California)  Daily Standard-Mountain View Register Leader, October 30, 1961. [Filed under LP Biographical: (LP Scrapbooks, 1961-1965), Box #6.008, Folder #8.126]
• Newspaper clipping: The Mail Bag: “Pauling Challenged.” The National Guardian. [Filed under LP Manuscripts of Articles: (Manuscripts and Typescripts of Articles by LP, 1961), Box #1961a2, Folder 1961a2.13] 
• Note from Ann Perkins to LP RE: Perkins is doing a chemistry project on the topic of genetic chemistry, and wonders if LP could be of any assistance in finding information.  Handwritten at the top: “Molecular disease.” [Letter from Harris to Perkins November 16, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (P: Correspondence, 1960-1963), #314.2]