4 March 1946

Dear Mom

I've had a very enjoyable weekend with the Wainwrights, whose son was at Hammer Field. Perhaps I mentioned him. He's out of the army now, after 3 years, so I stopped in to say hello and then stayed. Papa Wainwright makes and owns Diamond Chain it's probably on our bicycles. They've been very good to me.

I had intended going to Chicago possibly I will still. Little Reba wasn't around this weekend just as well, since I did a lot of things with these friends I wouldn't have done otherwise. I went to a wedding, chatted with the local society belles and guzzled champagne punch, went to a burlesque, spent an afternoon tramping around the woods looking for birds, and went to an ice hockey game. All a lot of fun.

I may find it necessary to telegraph for an additional loan this furlough business even though I leech off friends, runs into money. But I'll collect two months' pay at the end of March $160 or so.

When I get back to N.Y. I'm going to buy tickets to the Lunts. I think it's very much worth it.

Weather here has been amazingly beautiful, warm and sunshiny like spring, but it can't last. I notice my skin is acquiring a sickly pale color. I need to get out and become weather beaten again.

This is geode country. Dad has a geode in his collection and I've always wanted to find one. Lugging a big rock around in my bag will be fun.

All my love to you Mom. OOO's XXXX's.

Linus

11 March 1946

Dearest Mom

Thank you very much for the money. I spent my last twenty five dollars on the rental of a car for a couple of days so we could explore Indiana's chief scenic area Brown County. It is pretty no doubt much more so in late spring and fall but almost any area in the west has it beat. I enjoyed principally the light linked bare branched trees rising like smoke against a darker background. I has a very good time.

So now your welcome donation will have to carry me though until April. I asked for an extension on my furlough I hate going back to ossify in that crummy camp. So far I have received no answer. I'll be glad to get home and treat myself to a normal curriculum.

An amusing part of going with Rebsie is that I find myself moving in a society principally Jewish. It seems to me that that failure to intermingle is the root of anti-semitism. Rebsie has no close Gentile friends, except me, of course. And some of her friends that I talk with are horribly bitter and warped about the situation. One, a rather pretty girl (not compared with Rebsie, though) has an interesting complex for getting even she encourages gentile boys to fall in love with her and then laughs in their faces. She will come to no good end!

I've done more thinking and talking about religious prejudice in the last few months than I had in my entire life heretofore in fact I never realized the extent of ill feeling. All this is good experience.

By the way, there is a book out that I glanced at. It's written for children, I think, and it's well worth acquiring. It's about the three major divisions Catholic, Protestant, and Jew, and describes each clearly. It should be required reading in fact. A book I have never seen but that should be written, is one explaining and comparing, Christianity, Mohamedanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc.

How are Lindy and Crellin doing? I don't have to ask about Pete he seems to be consistently excellent. But I haven't had any news of the youngest two for some time.

All my love you, Mom dear.

Linus

March 13, 1946

Dr. G. M. Clowes

The Lilly Research Laboratories

Eli Lilly and Company

Indianapolis 6, Indiana

Dear Dr. Clowes:

I regret to say that your letter of February 27 has remained unanswered for some time, because of my illness during the past two weeks. I am now feeling well, and plan to start on my trip on Saturday, expecting no difficulty.

Today I am sending you the following night letter: Gladly accept your kind invitation. Shall come to your house on arrival 8:10 P.M. Monday. Leaving 5:00 P.M. Tuesday.

I am also writing to Dr. Chen, asking him to cancel the reservation for me at the Indianapolis Athletic Club. On arriving in Indianapolis on the 8:10 train "The James Whitcomb Riley" from Chicago I shall take a cab directly to your home. I am grateful to you and Mrs. Clowes for inviting me to stay with you. I shall plan to have dinner on the train.

The set of reprints for which you ask has been sent under separate cover. I hope that it arrives in time for you to read parts of it before I get to Indianapolis. I am looking forward to having a good discussion with you.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:gw

16 March 1946

Dearest Mom,

Life isn't any too good at present many ups and downs. The morning I got in to Fort Ham I was told that time was counted from date of active service, and that I would have to hang around until the first of May. Then, after an afternoon of arguing and talking to big wheels, I was told that I could have a 45 day delay-in-route to Fort McArthur. You can imagine my jubilance that's almost as good as being discharged. But yesterday the blow fell the captain changed his mind and I'll have to stick around here helping to control the large shipments of [unreadable word] oversees until May, UNLESS the army's time requirements go down in the meantime. So I'm not exactly happy.

I called up Moe's office and found Dad's arrival date, so I'll see him at any rate. Possibly you, too, when you come in April.

Mrs. Mirsky continues to be good to me. Bony time I go over she feeds me delicious breaded cauliflower.

Spring seems to be pretty definitely here too it is very warm. The trees haven't leafed yet, but it can't be long. Grass is growing.

All my love, Mom

Linie

March 19, 1946

Dear love:

I have just got on the train from Indianapolis to New York. The trip from Chicago was not bad last night — 3½ hours on a [sic] streamlines. Dr. Clovers (now 69 — hole [?] & hearty) met me, with Jack Williams of Wisconsin, who was here yesterday for a conference, and who stayed an hour with us — he left last night, and he asked about Liny. Mrs. Clowes has a collection of paintings — very nice, authenticity sometimes doubtful. Frans Hals self-portrait, three Holbeins, a Luini [?] looking just like a Leonardo madonna, two El Grecos, a Bellini, a Rubens (?), a Primavera..(I forget the painter's name — you know), a two [sic] Hieronymus Boschs [?], several primitives, a Lucas Ganash [?].

My talk went well. They have given me $365.33, ^^(puregain) and have offered me a 3-year consultant job at $200 per month, for not over 12 days work per year plus expenses. I said I would accept, effective April 1 — first duty two days in May, at time of Pittsburgh meeting, or see below.

Would you call Mrs. Wilson, and have my May reservations changed as follows — you don't need to say why.

Lv. Pasadena Chief Sat. 12 ³⁰ PM May 11

Lv. Chicago Big 4, James Whitcomb Riley for Indianapolis

Mon 4 ⁴⁰ PM May 13.

Lv. Indianapolis night of May 15 for Pittsburgh

Return as planned — Lv. Pgh Sat, Lv. Chicago Chief Sun.

May 19. Home May 21

No Leave these May reservations as is: Have Mrs Wilson return you & me from New York as follows:

Lv. New York Penna RR (Spirit of St. Louis ? [sic]) Sun. Ap. 28 to [sic] 6 ⁰⁵ PM

arrive Indianapolis early (before [sic] 9 ¹⁵ AM) Monday.

Lv. Indianapolis Tues night (6PM?) or early Wed morning for Chicago, in time to take

Chief 12:01 PM Wednesday.

Home Fri May 3.

I'd like you to see the Clowes' painting — and we

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might as well have two more days together.

Would you have Mrs. Wilson write airmail to Washington — whatever hotel you want — for a double room for us for the Academy meeting, April 21 to 24, and also to Mrs. John Hammond, College Dept, Biltmore, NY for a double room April 24 to 28. Perhaps she should write to two Washington hotels. Also she should send the postcard (in my folder) to the Benj. Franklin for room for 2 April 18 to 21.

(I just found in my ticket case a check for $150 that I'd tucked there & forgotten about — from Rochester. I guess that we can keep Taka and Isono.)

Someone told me that Freddie Allen's boy died three weeks ago.

Perhaps I'll see Warren Weaver tomorrow. Its [sic] fine that he is back at work.

Love from your

Paddy

Wednesday 11 PM

[March 20, 1946]

Dear love:

Liny has just left to go back to camp — we have been together since 5, and we had dinner at Henry's with Edith & Chris (Hollis) and a boy (16) from Oregon, friend of Chris'es [sic]. I gave Edith some Jensen flower cards and Liny gave her some candy. He expects to be out May 5, possibly sooner. He seems not quite sure about medicine. He is looking well.

I'm in trouble — I can't remember the name of the CalTech Alumnus president or the place of the luncheon or anything, & can't find the letters — tomorrow morning I'll have to start telephoning to somebody.

I had a nice experience today. I stopped to see Henry at noon, & he had Capt. Steichen, the great photographer, with him. He took us to lunch, & then to a projection room where we looked at some striking experimental films — those by Maya Deren — "Summer Afternoon", "At Land", — were most interesting, also those by John Whitney (a Pasadena man) were interesting — perhaps Harvey

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Eagleson should have them shown by the Humanities Division — or we might sometime have a showing and invite friends.

I've been feeling pretty well. I'm going to read a bit and go to bed.

Love from your

Paddy.

Thursday 12 PM

[March 21, 1946]

Dearest love:

Liny has just left to go to camp — we've been talking for a couple of hours. He came at 4, and we went to Gimbels, & bought a 16^th century Persian oil jar, about 11" high

[small sketch of jar, with note: "glazed"], as a present for you — you may either keep it as is, or have it made into a lamp. We think it's nice. Then at 7 we went to the CalTech Alumni dinner (by a lot of telephoning I found out this morning where it would be) — where I talked for an hour. Liny sat at the speaker's table — only about 25 altogether there.

(It is clear from the prices of good chinese [sic] glazed vases at Gimbels that those two lamps at whatshernames [sic] are bargains.)

I spent the morning & lunch with Felbeck & other vice-presidents in his group, and got some good information. I shopped a bit then, corrected

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proof of my Harrison Howe lecture, took it Radio Center [sic] for Warren Weaver to read, and returned to the hotel to wait for Liny.

Liny is not sure about medicine — he's worried that he hasn't a true "vocation" to anything; but he said that he likes psychiatry, he thinks. I told him a lot of things about mental diseases, operations such as Warren's, and so on, and encouraged him. He has a C in 1^st semester Chem. from U.C., & perhaps will take 2^nd " " at PJC [?] in the summer, and German (he has "incomplete" at U.C.), and something else, and try to get sophomore standing in the fall, perhaps at Pomona.

I'm going to bathe now & go to bed. I love you. Six more nights till I'm home — in fact, this hour is exactly the middle of my absence.

Love from Paddy

[Small card has b/w picture of white flowers, the stems of which have been painted green.]

Friday morning

[March 22, 1946]

Dear love:

I love you. You are a beautiful girl. These flowers remind me of you — but the colorful anemones remind me of you far more.

Your Linus

26 March 1946

Dear Pete

Would you do something for me, Pete old lad? I want the calendar and the catalogue of courses offered by P.L.C.'s summer sessions. I think I'll squeeze everything possible into the summer I don't feel like wasting time at this stage of the game.

Also find out Pomona College's address. I think it's in Claremont, but I'm not sure. I may go there next fall.

Pop tells me you've become a social butterfly. That speaks well for your persuasive powers over the parents it takes a lot of energy to get out form under them. I am all for knocking around from one organization to another, from girl to girl, but I am also cognizant that there can be too much of a good thing. You should be discriminatory connect yourself with only the best and most worthwhile groups. That's the way to avoid over working yourself. But this is damn good experience for you.

What's up with you and this girl? Getting yourself entangled pretty deeply, I hear. I can't get a true view of the picture from Dad his outlook is very different from yours and mine. Being intimate with some female can be good or bad or both, depending on the character of the girl and what you do with her. Ma and Pa are pretty straightlaced with their kids I don't know why since they aren't prudish perhaps they just have a very strict sense of honor along that line. I myself am neither straightlaced, prudish, nor overhonorable

I enclose an envelope I'd like you to drop into the mail for me, please.

I hope to hell the requirement go down April 1^st, so I can get out of this place. I like N.Y. very much, but it's awfully expensive to run around here and also I have a feeling of wasting time. I've had that feeling for two and a half years now.

Best wishes, old boy. I hope to hear from you eventually. It took that letter you wrote last about a month to reach me.

Love to you from

Linie

27 March 1946

Dearest Mom,

The address you couldn't make out was "enlisted transient debarkee detachment." Perfectly simple, you see. A better address, I suppose, is "Co. A, casual Detachment, Fort Hamilton, N.Y."

I got two letters while in Indiana one forwarded by Reba I and one via Reba II. And Dad gave me all that he brought. He told me the complete story of his infection. I had a very good time with him we had a couple of meals with Moe together, saw Moe's family, say the Mirskys, and wandered through the Museum of Modern Art.

I am doubtful that I can get our of the army before my time is up because there is no economic necessity however, you might see what the local Red Cross has to say they're the ones that verify cases of dependency. There is also a chance, although slight , that the time requirement swill change in April.

I go the Mirskys about once a week, but I always take a box of candy or some flowers. I think Reba likes to see me.

I'm surprised to hear that B Tyler is having a little one. She used to say that she like having me around because I made a fourth at the table, an I would counter by saying that she could without much difficulty produce her own. So whether she agreed or not , the lack of difficulty is proved.

I was taken off Santa Paula at my own request; I had been told by those that were qualified to know that I would be discharged immediately. So you can understand why I got off the ship: This sort of confusion and inefficiency is more usual that otherwise on the army.

By the way, what happened to Coxes?

I got myself into a little trouble yesterday. The colonel came around on an inspection and found a bottle of wine and one of cherry liqueur in my barracks bag. It's been so long since an inspection of that sort that I forgot about the necessity of hiding the stuff. I could have been court marshaled and spent six month in the guardhouse, but charges weren't pressed. So I escaped retribution, but I lost a good bottle of wine.

Dad tells me Pete is leading a gay life, and also about Crellie's fluency in French. He also said he thinks I ought to stay in school without interruption until I acquire a degree of some sort.

All my love, Mom,

Linie

By the way, I acquired from the box office two tickets, 23^rd row orchestra, for showboat on the 25^th, and two tickets, 20^th row orchestra, or Oklahoma for Saturday matinee. Not very good, but the best I could do without gong to our agency, which perhaps I should have done. But they're expensive enough anyway, $19.20 for the four! Are there any other shows you would like to see?

L.

March 29, 1946

Dr. K. E. Arveson

c/o Standard Oil Company

910 South Michigan Avenue

Chicago 80, Illinois

Dear Dr. Arveson:

I have just returned from a trip East, and I am writing to you again because I have not heard from Dr. Henry C. Spruth, whom I had expected to get in touch with me.

I do not have any recent photographs, my last one having been taken a number of years ago; but I expect to be photographed in a few days, and the prints should be ready shortly thereafter. I am also planning to send along some bibliographical and biographical material.

Perhaps you would not consider it out of place for me to mention that at the time that I received the Nichols Medal Dr. Joseph B. Mayer, who is now at the Institute for Nuclear Studies of the University of Chicago, gave a talk on my scientific works, which seemed to me to be completely satisfactory (perhaps somewhat too flattering). The talk which Dr. Mayer gave was not published, and I suppose that he could easily bring it up to date, perhaps making some changes, in case that you or Dr. Spruth were to consider him to be a good man to cover this part of the proceedings. I have known Dr. Mayer for nearly twenty-five years, and his scientific interests have been sufficiently close to mine so that he has a very good idea of what I have been doing. I have another very good friend in the Chicago area, Professor Thorfin R. Hegness. My oldest friend among scientific men is Dr. Paul H. Emmett, now at the Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh. Dr. Emrnett spoke about personal matters at the time that I received the Nichols Medal.

I would like to have your advice about the title and scope of my talk. My work has been in past years largely on the subject of resonance and the structure of molecules and crystals, and in recent years on the structure of antibodies and the nature of serological reactions. I spoke before the Chicago Section on the first of these subjects about ten years or more ago, and I spoke on the second of these subjects a couple of years ago, when I presented a Julius Stieglits Memorial Lecture. It seems to me that it would hardly interest the members of the Section, except the younger ones, to have me discuss either of these subjects again. Accordingly, unless it is the policy of the Section to have the speaker on this occasion present a summary of his principal scientific work, I would prefer to select some different subject for my talk. A possible title might be "The Significance of the Color of Chemical Substances".

Under this title I would plan to discuss a number of aspects of organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and perhaps even biology. My talk would be, I think, a talk of general interest to chemists, but perhaps without much interest to a layman, because I would plan to refer to a great many individual chemical substances. In the course of the talk I would mention to some extent my own work during the past twenty-five years. I might discuss, for example, the color of carotenoids in relation to cis-trans isomerium, the color of hemoglobin and chlorophyll in relation to the physiological uses of these substances, the color of dyes in general, perhaps the color of inorganic substances in general, surely the color of inorganic substances in connection with the existence in these substances of bonds or weaker interactions between metal atoms. This is a subject in which I have been very much interested for several years, but about which I have not published anything.

I shall be very glad to have your advice or this matter. I enclose an extra copy of this letter, in case that you wish to pass it on to Dr. Spruth.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:gw

29 March 1946

Dear Mom

For some time I've felt a couple of small protuberances on the gum of my upper jaw back by the wisdom teeth, and today I went to the dentist for a checkup. He complimented me, as many dentists have, on my fine set of teeth, and then he told me that my wisdom teeth are coming through. Some x rays were taken and although the left one seems to be satisfactory, the right one shows a tendency to shoot off at an angle toward my cheek. It will be a long time before action needs to be taken the right tooth hasn't cut the skin yet, but the dentist think it will have to come out eventually. So I have to decide whether to have them out now or to wait. It is a miserable process, but my gum is soft and healthy. Possibly it would be wise to have them extracted immediately. But I hate the thought of going through all that.

1 April 1946

Mom,

Here it is, April, and no news of release from the army. It begins to look like I'll have to stain in until May. Even if you succeeded in convincing the Red Cross that I am necessary to the family, it would take the army two weeks to a month to complete the red tape. It's a stupid business. I feel pretty dejected now.

All my love to you,

Linus

P.S. Please mail this letter to Vosbein. Thanks