July 13, 1940
Dr. L. E. Sutton
1 Eastchurch
Iffley, Oxford
England
Dear Leslie:
I have expected that perhaps your wife and children would come to America, but because of her relatives here I did not write or cable you regarding them. You may be sure, considering how many friends you have here, that any emergency which arose for them after coming to this country could be met. I myself have come to the present without any financial reserves, and contracted some extra obligations, so that I am not in a position to make a definite commitment to you, but I can assure you that we could find some way of taking care of Mrs. Sutton and the children if things were to get bad.
My wife is devoting a good bit of her time to working in the office of the committee for bringing refugee children to America, besides working for the Red Cross and Union Now. The children seem to be arriving very slowly, but some have reached America already, and some are expected here by next week. We have expected to have a child or two in our house. We have a good bit of room however, and if it were desirable we could take care of your children, and we would be very glad to have them. Perhaps your wife will find it desirable to come to Pasadena rather than to stay in the East. Tolman is now in Washington and I haven't been able to talk with him.
Is the situation clear for the entry of your family into the United States? If you need affidavits of support, I think that we could arrange to send them. In this case you must cable detailed information and directions to me.
Life in the laboratory is going on about as usual. Last month a committee of defense cooperation was formed at the Institute, and we are expecting to be doing some work along these lines before long. We are all anxious to help you in every possible way, and we are looking forward to the end of the struggle and the time when you can settle down to your pure science again.
With best regards and best of luck, I am
Sincerely yours,
LP:jr