ASSOCIATION OF PASADENA SCIENTISTS

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

December 13, 1945

To Members of the Faculty of the California Institute of Technology:

On November 23 an open meeting was held in the Gates Laboratory to consider the formation of an organization having as its purpose to discuss and act upon the problems created by the release of atomic energy. The meeting was attended principally by graduate students and junior Staff-members of the California Institute of Technology. An organization, to be known as the "Association of Pasadena Scientists", was formed at that meeting. A statement setting forth the tentative structure and purposes of the organization is appended to this letter.

Since that time we have learned of the formation of the American Federation of Scientists, a federation initiated by groups that have been organized at the atomic bomb laboratories and at several leading universities. The aims and structure of the Federation are described in another statement appended hereto. Professor J. R. Oppenheimer has suggested that a member organization be formed at the California Institute of Technology, and that it be formed from existing groups on this campus. Because of the informal character of the existing faculty group, which meets Tuesday afternoons, Professor E. C. Watson has expressed doubt that this faculty group should be made the nucleus of such a member organization. It is felt, on the other hand, that the tentative structure and purposes of the Association of Pasadena Scientists would be appropriate to the formation of a member organization and that they could easily be adapted to suit the needs of such an organization. In any case it is very desirable that a member organization be representative of the California Institute community.

An open meeting will be held Tuesday evening, December 19, in Room 22, Gates Laboratory, at which the development of such a member organization to the American Federation will be discussed. Professor J. R. Oppenheimer and Professor Linus Pauling will speak.

You are cordially invited to attend this meeting and to participate in planning the purposes and form of the organization.

Sincerely yours,

David P. Shoemaker

Corresponding Secretary

Appended: (l) Proposed Articles of Organization and Purposes of the Association of Pasadena Scientists

(2) Statement of Aims and Description of Organization of the American Federation of Scientists

ARTICLE IV. Amendment

Section 1. An amendment to these articles may be proposed by petition of five or more members of the Association. Copies of any proposed amendment must be distributed to the membership at least ten days before a meeting at which it will be voted upon.

Section 2. An amendment shall be considered adopted if it is approved by two thirds of the members voting.

Purposes of the Association of

Pasadena Scientists

I. To study the problems associated with the relationship between society and scientific developments, with special emphasis on problems of atomic power. To gather and disseminate information pertinent to this end.

II. To promote freedom of research, particularly nuclear research.

III. To cooperate with other groups (such as the American Federation of Scientists and the Faculty Group of the California Institute of Technology) which are working to prevent the destructive use of atomic energy, and to convince the public at large of the necessity for taking action designed to achieve this goal.

December 13, 1945

Dr. John J. Eiler

College of Pharmacy

University of California

Medical Center

San Francisco, California

Dear Dr. Eiler:

I was pleased to receive your letter of December 10, and to know about the action that your group has taken with the letter on legislation and Federal aid to science and the statement on atomic power.

I was also pleased to learn about the decision of a group to form a Northern California Association of Scientists, to carry on the activities sponsored by the Federation of Atomic Scientists. A local group is now being former here, the Association of Pasadena Scientists, which is, I believe, to be associated with the Federation of Atomic Scientists. Dr. Richard N. Noyes, Gates and Crellin Laboratories of Chemistry, will be glad to give you more information about this Association.

Sincerely Yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:gw