June 28, 1961 - Linus Pauling Day-by-Day

Itinerary: Fresno State College; 9:50 AM “The Goal of General and Complete Disarmament [handwritten] [Filed under LP Travel, Box #1.003, Folder #3.1]

Letter from A.L. Wirin, Attorneys at Law, to LP RE: Encloses a copy of a letter which was mailed to Senator Dodd. Informs that he has changed his mind about making a motion to quash the order because it might alert Dodd and Sourwine that they intend to take legal action prior to the next hearing. [Letter from Wirin to Dodd June 30, 1960] [Filed under LP Biographical: (Correspondence re: Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, 1960-1981), Box #2.017, Folder #17.1]

Letter from Augusto Bonazzi, Universidad Central de Venezuela, to LP, RE: Bonazzi invites LP to come to Caracas for a few weeks to speak to the science faculty at the Universidad. They would cover all of his travel expenses and offer him a $1000/month honorarium. LP could present several unrelated lectures or a series of lectures. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (V: Correspondence, 1933-1969), #427.21]

Letter from Donald Harrington to LP RE: Harrington does not think that LP is willing to admit that there are people who will involve themselves in peace organization such as Sane, while still working ultimately towards their Communist goals. Harrington expresses that it is easier to work more effectively with people who have a commitment to democracy than with those who are bound to the Soviet Union. [LP’s letter June 23, 1961] [Reply from LP July 13, 1961] [Filed under LP Peace: (SANE: Materials regarding Dodd Committee Investigation and Subsequent Controversy Over Membership of Communists in SANE, 1960-1962), Box #4.004, Folder #4.3]

Letter from Dorothy Naman to LP RE: Naman has returned from a lecture at Fresno State College on disarmament and moral responsibility. Naman has become increasingly concerned about the effects of fallout and asks LP what more she can do as a an average citizen. [Letter from LP to Naman July 13, 1961] [Filed under LP Peace: Materials re: Fallout and Radiation Shelters, and Civil Defense, 1954-1961: Box #7.007, Folder #7.22]

Letter from E. S. Street, Progress Editor, Pergamon Press Limited, to LP, RE: Asks permission for Dr. M. B. King of the University of Birmingham to reproduce a figure of LP’s, found in Physical Chemistry by Moelwyn-Hughes. Handwritten at the bottom: “Signed by LP (for Dr. R. E. Marsh also) giving permission, and returned 18 July 1961.” [Filed under LP Correspondence: (P: Correspondence, 1960-1963), #314.2]

Letter from Geneve Schivez to LP RE: Schivez would like to have 300 copies of the Oslo Statement. [Filed under LP Peace: (Oslo Conference Against the Spread of Nuclear Weapons, May 2-7, 1961), Box #2.004, Folder #4.4]

Letter from J.A. Christensen, M.D., Assistant Professor, Dept. Of Pharmacology, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, to LP RE: Would like a reprint of the article on the chemical principle of clathrates as a determining factor in the theory of narcosis. Would also like recommendations for medical students to demonstrate the formation of microcrystals with chloroform. [Letter from LP to J.A. Christensen, July 24, 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (C: Correspondence, 1961-1962), #76.1]

Letter from L.G. Williams to LP, RE: Williams asks LP a question about the electron shell positions of La, Ce, and Lu. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1960-1962), #445.2]

Letter from LP to Paul Swartz, RE: LP has a very full schedule for the coming year and he will not be able to accept Swartz's invitation to come to the University of Wichita during the coming year as a lecturer in the Student Forum series. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (W: Correspondence, 1960-1962), #445.2]

Letter from P. Franzen to LP, RE: [In French] Franzen is sending LP a list of signatures from professors at the University of Belgium. Frazen apologizes that the signatures are being sent after the April 15th deadline, but hopes that they will still be of some help. [Filed under LP Peace: (Correspondence re: circulation and signing of An Appeal to Stop the Spread of Nuclear Weapons, April-December, 1961), Box #5.013, Folder #13.1]

Letter from Reed Cozart, Pardon Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney, to LP RE: LP’s letter was referred to this office. The decision has been reached that clemency should not be awarded in the case of Mr. And Mrs. Haug. [Letter from LP to President Kennedy, June 14, 1961] [Letter from Mr. Haug, September 1961] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (H: Correspondence, 1961-1962), #168.1]

Manuscript: ‘The Neutron Bomb’ [Filed under LP Speeches: (Speeches by LP, 1961) Box # 1961s2, Folder #1961s2.11]

The Neutron Bomb

By Linus Pauling

Fresno, 28 June 1961

The neutron bomb, now (also 12 May 1960) being sponsored by Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, is a greater fraud than the so-called clean bomb. It is a political weapon, not a military weapon.

The standard weapon today is the three-stage megaton superbomb. It kills the enemy population in four ways: by blast, by fire, by immediate radiation, and by local fallout. Of these the last may cause the greatest number of deaths in a megaton war.

The "clean" bomb decreases the local fallout.

We know how to make bombs much "cleaner" than the standard megaton bombs, and the Russians know too. But we do not stockpile them, and the Russians do not stockpile them, because we and they want the added effectiveness of local fallout; we want to kill the enemy with local fallout as well as with blast, fire, and immediate radiation. Also, the "cleaner" bombs are more expensive and more bulky than equivalent standard superbombs. The Pentagon is not interested in clean bombs.

The "neutron" bomb, if it were made, would decrease not only local fallout but also blast and fire. Its effectiveness would be due to immediate radiation only. The neutron bomb would be much inferior as a weapon to the "clean" bomb, very much inferior to the standard superbomb.

The Russians could meet an attack by neutron bombs much better by using their existing standard megaton bombs than by using neutron bombs.

The "clean" bomb (1957) fizzled out militarily, but it put off the bomb-test negotiations for a year -- it was a political success. President Eisenhower was the dupe of the H-bomb scientists and defense contractors. Now it is Senator Dodd who is their dupe; President Kennedy's scientific advisors are too smart to let him be caught.

The neutron bomb is part of Sen. Dodd's efforts to stop the bomb-test negotiations in Geneva.

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