Letter from Linus Pauling to Ralph Hultgren. October 19, 1959. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 2 pp.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Check from LP to AAL (American Airlines) for $127.05. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, December 1957-December 1959), Box #4.025, Folder #25.2] [Also filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Check Registers, 1957-1962), Box #4.076, Folder #76.1]
• Letter from Barney L. Taylor to LP RE: Offers to let LP borrow his chart on the refraction of different colors of light. Defends his theories about the refraction of light and the "particle theory of light." [Letter from Taylor to LP October 21, 1959, Letter from Taylor to LP October 26, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (T: Correspondence, 1959), #411.4]
• Letter from E. Bright Wilson, Jr., Harvard University, to William Benjamin, McGraw-Hill Book Company, cc: LP, RE: Explains reasons for the delay in the revision of Karplus and Wilson's Quantum Mechanics. Says he cannot make an estimate of when the revision will be completed. [Letter from Benjamin to LP and Wilson September 28, 1959] [Filed under LP Books: Unpb.8]
• Letter from Eleanor Greene, Editorial Public Relations, Redbook Magazine, to LP RE: Says "Fallout and Your Family's Health" appears in the November issue, and encloses the advance tearsheets. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (G: Correspondence, 1959), #141.3]
• Letter from Janet Neuman to LP, RE: Neuman asks if LP will be in Washington anytime in February and if he may be available to do a short, fifteen minute, radio interview with the WILPF. These interviews are heard in Washington as well as throughout the country. [Letter from LP March 9, 1960] [Filed under LP Peace: (Assorted Peace Groups, Wo), Box #4.016, Folder #16.1]
• Letter from Joan Harris, Secretary to LP, to Dieter Zander, RE: Sends Zander an autographed photograph of LP. [Letter from Zander to LP October 5, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Z: Correspondence, 1959), #468.15]
• Letter from Joan Harris, Secretary to LP, to Francesco Pozza RE: Informs that there is a French and an Italian translation of The Nature of the Chemical Bond. [Note from Pozza to LP October 16, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (P: Correspondence) #313.7]
• Letter from Joan Harris, Secretary to LP, to Thomas K. Boyce RE: Encloses an autographed photo of LP and an autographed copy of his reprint on "Genetic and Somatic Effects of Carbon-14." [Letter from Boyce to LP October 2, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1959), #39.2]
• Letter from LP (Signed by Joan Harris) to Dr. Stephen H. Fritchman RE: Declines giving permission to list his name and address for requests for speaking engagements because he is already over-booked, also LP prefers to speak to large groups and in other parts of the country. [Letter from Fritchman to LP, October 16, 1959] [Filed under LP Peace: Box 4.001, Folder 1.1]
• Letter from LP to Allan M. Butler, RE: LP suggests that taking pills of dicalcium phosphate may help to stop the possible harm caused by Strontium-90. LP has not has success in getting pharmaceutical houses to take actions in labeling calcium compounds that are free of Strontium-90. LP looks forward to seeing Butler on Sunday in New York. [Butler's letter October 16, 1959] [Filed under LP Peace: (Materials re: Strontium-90, June 1959-November 1959), Box #7.012, Folder #12.17]
• Letter from LP to Ann Lee, University of Wisconsin Symposium RE: Says he has thought about coming to the symposium from 13 to 17 February, and regrets that his schedule is so full he fells it is not possible for him to work on this additional engagement. (Also on bottom of reply is reply to Elvehjem from LP apologizing for being unable to accept the invitation) [Letter from Olsen to LP October 1, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Correspondence, 1959), #231.5]
• Letter from LP to Caroline Ware RE: Says he has read chapter VII of the History of the Scientific and Cultural Development of Mankind. Describes his thoughts on and opinions of the manuscript. Points out a defect in the paper. [Note from Ware to LP October 12, 1959] [Letter from Ware to LP October 26, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1959), #444.7]
• Letter from LP to Edita Morris RE: Thanks Morris for sending a copy of her book, The Flowers of Hiroshima. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1959), #258.1]
• Letter from LP to Gustav Albrecht RE: Says he was sorry to learn of his dismissal from California State Polytechnic College, says it is terrible of their State Department of Education to behave this way, tells how he wrote to the Council for Basic Education on Albrecht's behalf, and hopes he is successful in arranging to go ahead in his project. [Letter from Albrecht to LP September 26, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Albrecht, Gustav, 1939-1964), #4.1]
• Letter from LP to Gustav Albrecht RE: Says he would like to write and article for "L.A." but he is so busy it's just not possible for him, says he knows about the article in Playboy as the editors wrote to him to make a contribution to it but he was traveling, and so could not reply. [Letter from Albrecht to LP October 14, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Albrecht, Gustav, 1939-1964), #4.1]
• Letter from LP to Heide Billes RE: Regrets to say that he is in Australia and New Zealand during the dates that she suggested for him to talk at Pasadena City College, and says he has made so many speaking engagements this year that he has had to call a halt and so cannot accept her invitation another time. [Letter from Billes to LP October 3, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1959), #39.2]
• Letter from LP to Helen C. Biehle RE: Thanks her for her invitation to speak for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and wishes it were possible for him to accept but says he has an engagement in Philadelphia at that time. [Letters from Biehle to LP October 11, 1959, November 6, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1959), #39.2]
• Letter from LP to James Terrill, RE: LP has only published one paper on Strontium-90. This paper was a collaboration with Professor Kamb and LP is enclosing this paper. LP suggests looking into the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's nearly complete bibliography on publications on Strontium-90. [Terrill's reply October 27, 1959] [Terrill's letter October 6, 1959] [Filed under LP Peace: (Materials re: Strontium-90, June 1959-November 1959), Box #7.012, Folder #12.17]
• Letter from LP to Karl Robe, Putman Publishing Company. RE: Would be glad to give his opinion of the revised manuscript. [Letter from Robe October 1, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (R: Correspondence, 1960) #342.1]
• Letter from LP to Phyllis Perlman, RE: LP is enclosing 20 copies of his Strontium-90 letter to the New York Times. LP is pleased to learn that this letter has had some influence. [Perlman's letter October 15, 1959] [Filed under LP Peace: (Materials re: Strontium-90, June 1959-November 1959), Box #7.012, Folder #12.17]
• Letter from LP to Professor Hubert N. Alyea, Department of Chemistry, Princeton University RE: Thanks him for his letter about their television program, says he was satisfied but AHP thought he missed several good opportunities for telling comments, and hopes he can put some of those comments into his lecture at Carnegie Hall. [Letter from Alyea to LP October 15, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (A: Correspondence, 1959), #13.2]
• Letter from LP to Richard Otto, RE: LP thanks Otto for his check and is planning to put it to good use. LP is now saving up money for the World Peace Research Organization. LP looks forward to meeting Otto some time soon. [Filed under LP Peace: (Materials re: World Peace Research Organization, 1958-1960), Box #6.003, Folder #3.1]
• Letter from LP to Stanley Amdurer, RE: LP mentioned in his letter to the New York Times that using dicalcium phosphate would be the best way to treat the effects of Strontium-90 in adults and children. Currently the drug houses that LP has asked to add Strontium-90 free calcium to their food preparations have yet to comply. LP has not written much on Strontium-90, but LP is enclosing a reprint of a paper by LP and Professor Kamb on the subject. In addition, LP is enclosing a reprint of a paper on Carbon-14. [Amdurer's letter October 3, 1959] [Amdurer's reply November 29, 1959] [Filed under LP Peace: (Materials re: Strontium-90, June 1959-November 1959), Box #7.012, Folder #12.17]
• Letter from LP to T. Hammerlund, Hammerlund Kunsthandel RE: Says he is pleased to receive his letter saying that he succeeded in reducing the freight, says he thought it was rather high, and thanks him for sending the statement about the dates and production places of the articles in the purchase. [Letter from Hammerlund to LP September 30, 1959, letter from Harris to Hammerlund February 12, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (H: Correspondence, 1959), #167.4]
• Letter from LP to Wesley P. Ford, Central Christian Church RE: Says he has made such a full schedule that he cannot accept any more speaking engagements. [Letter from Ford to LP October 15, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (F: Correspondence, 1959), #129.3]
• Letter from Norman J. Whitney, National Secretary for Peace Education, to Yasushi Nishiwaki, c/o LP, RE: Invites Nishiwaki to visit his National office in Philadelphia during his visit to the U.S. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (N: Correspondence, 1959), #288.3]
• Letter from Peter Pauling to Linus Pauling, Jr. [Filed under LP Biographical: Box #5.043, Folder #43.3]

  2 October, 1959

  Dear Linus,

  Many thanks for your letters, both the one from Geneva and the latest.

  I have been busy trying to write my thesis and get things done, and also the house we were trying to buy has fallen through. Consequently, I have not written.

  I am quite pleased with Julia. She has been working very hard to get things going well, she is on a pretty strict schedule to get things done, and we are getting along well. The boy is full of beans; school does him a lot of good.

  We are pleased about your new girl though I cannot say that I am much in favor of her name. We are trying to think of names and it certainly is difficult. I shall tell you something about what I think about money. It seems to me that any any allowance or other sort of money that I or someone else gets is essentially good if it increases that persons liberty, increases his freedom of action. I think that the money is not worth it if it decreases liberty, if one has to do things or behave in such and such a way in order to get the dough. Consequently, it seems to me good that you and Anita can broaden your lives so much, you are not accountable to anyone except yourselves, but not accountable to any one particular person. It is magnificent that your lives can be so full, that you being yourselves can see so many possibilities in life, can then do them. It gives you freedom of course to make a ball of things too, if you should want.

  Now an allowance is dangerous, for while it increases liberty in the sense that it allows things to be done that otherwise could not be done, it might restrict liberty because the giver may feel that he has the right to control the behavior of the receiver in some way. If the receiver admits that the giver has some control, if the receiver loses his liberty in order to gain the money, then it seems to me bad. In particular I shall be damned first before doing something for someone for the lolly.

  Of course this is not quite right, because one has to eat and consequently one has to have a job and if one has a job then there are restrictions on one of some sort. However, one is willing to put up with more restrictions from some people than with others.

  Now it seems to me that we, you me and Pop, are rather alike in some ways. One way is that we will not be kicked around by the others, and the other is that if we give money to someone we expect him to do what we want. These are mutually exclusive. It seems to me, that though Pa has been immensely good about not restricting, he basically feels that he can say what the hell goes on, as evidenced by the fact that he thinks he can make me follow his hair brained ideas by cutting off the lolly, and by the fact that he will not make a hard and fast agreement. He is loose with the talk but will not arrange a definite amount per unit time automatically regularly.

  If thats the way he feels, he'll have to keep it. An allowance gives me liberty to stay in academic Europe, if thats what I wanted to do. That is the minimum standard of living possible an a European academic salary is below the minimum standard of living that I am willing to accept. Now I think that you think that I do not want a European academic life, and that there is a way to get me out of it. Well, in a sense you are right. I do not think I can be happy as a chemist. I am not so sure about the academic part of it. I rather like being stimulated by a lot of young people about, and having the summers off, and not having to work on any set job, say electronic engineering, for any extended time. That is, I am interested in designing things for a while, but then I get bored. Anyway, life is a compromise and we shall see. At least you have me thinking about it all.

  I might say that I appreciate very much your obviously sympathetic letters. While I do not wholely agree with your philosophy of noncompetition, it is obvious that you have made a better solution to our mutual problem than I, and I think you solution is improving as evidenced by you being willing to take summer holidays. There is our rivalry which must affect our relations(and how much help you can give me) until I have settled and am satisfied with my life.

  [Peter Pauling]

• Letter from Robert Gould, Chemical and Engineering News, to LP RE: Explains details and requirements for LP's review of Christian Anfinsen's book, The Molecular Basis of Evolution. [Letter from LP to Gould October 19, 1959, Letter from Harris to Gould June 11, 1959] [Filed under LP Manuscripts of Articles: 1959a2.1]
• Memo from LP to Hallet Smith RE: Discusses the task of teaching public speaking at Caltech. Mentions UC Berkeley's practice of having philosophers teach the subject and suggests that Caltech do the same. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (S: Correspondence, 1959), #380.3]
• Note from D. V. G. L. N. Rao, Duke University, to LP RE: Discusses his current appointment at Duke. Expresses great interest in working under LP's supervision at Caltech. Encloses an outline of his qualifications, education, and work experience. [Letter from LP to Rao May 12, 1959, Letter from LP to Rao October 27, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (R: Correspondence, 1959), #341.5]
• Notification and Statement of Grant Award from Gordon H. Seger, National Institutes of Health, to LP RE: Informs that the Surgeon General has approved the Research Fellowship Supply Grant directed by LP on behalf of Dr. Ronald Rolfe entitled, "Investigation of DNA." [Letter from Betts to Gilmore November 16, 1959] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Rolfe, Ronald), #335.8]