794 Hot Springs Road
Santa Barbara, California
April 7, 1965
Dr. Albert Szent Gyorgyi
Woods Hole
Massachusetts
Dear Albert:
I cannot let more time go by without writing to tell you how grateful I am for
the splendid letter which you sent to the Times on March 24 about the situation in
Vietnam. Surely all people of reason must agree with you and must want this frightful
war to be brought to an end. How can we arouse the people of the United States to
raise their voice and bring an end to this immoral and disgusting activity which is
being carried on in our name?
Can you not get all of the scientists that you know to join with you? Should
we begin another appeal? Linus has written to all of the peace laureates asking them
to join with him in an appeal to the President, but I do not know whether there will
be any reaction to this.
We remember with much pleasure seeing you more than a year and half ago now,
or just about a year and a half ago anyway, and we look forward to seeing you again.
The situation in the world makes it difficult to feel really gay and frivolous, nevertheless,
there is much of worth and beauty in this world and I get pleasure and satisfaction
from it. It seems to me that one of the most frightful things about the situation
in Vietnam is not that we are fighting the Vietnamese, although that is horrible enough,
but this is such an assault on the earth itself. I cannot understand this destruction
of this small planet which is so wonderful and which belongs to all of us.
I am preparing to give a speech at the Unitarian Church on women. I think I had
better be talking about Vietnam, but still they have asked me to speak about women
and so it is. Linus and I send you cordial greetings.
Sincerely,
Ava Helen Pauling
