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PictureBertrand Russell, Anne Eaton, Cyrus Eaton, Edith Russell
          The  two  documents  that  follow-published  here  for  the first  time-combine  in  rare  fashion  historical significance and  human  interest. The first,  a statement by  Bertrand  Russell,  is  transcribed from  a  tape  prepared  by  him  for  the first Pugwash Conference  on  Science  and World  Affairs,  held in  Pugwash,  Nova  Scotia, July  7-10,  1957.  In this  message, Russell,  whose  age  and  frail health  prevented  him  from  undertaking  the  journey  to  Pugwash,  outlined  to  the  conferees  the  background  of  the manifesto, issued  by  him,  Einstein  and nine other  world-renowned  scientists,  which  had led  to  the Pugwash  meeting.  He also  sets  forth,  with  the  clarity  and wit typical  of  Russell,  his  hopes  and expectations  for  their work  and  for  what  was  eventually  to  become  known  as  the Pugwash  Movement. 

            The second  is  a  very  different sort  of  statement-a  human,  witty  and  wise view of  that  first Pugwash Conference  and  its  participants  through  the  eyes  of  its  gracious  hostess, Mrs.  Cyrus  S.  Eaton.  In a  letter to her father  (Judge Walter  T. Kinder of  Cleveland),  Anne Eaton  succeeds  in capturing  both  the  reality  and  the  spirit  of  that  unique occasion  with  a  rare  combination  of  photographic  precision and  artistic  imagination.  The  letter  will  be  included in  herforthcoming  book,  lrnperialist  Circles  and  Red  Squares.              We  are  grateful  to  Mrs.  Eaton  for  making  these  two  documents  available  to  the  Bulletin.-B.T.F.  Access under Anne Eaton.

1978  35  July  8,  1957  London  Dear  Pugwash Conferees: 

            Almost  exactly  two  years  have  passed  since the  statement  was  issued,  signed  by  the late  Albert  Einstein, some  nine other  colleagues  and  myself,  drawing  attention  to  the  dangers  that  would  face  humanity  if  another  world  war were  to  break  out, with  the almost  certainty  of  the widespread  use  of  nuclear  weapons.  In that statement we drew  attention  to  the need for  competent  scientists  to  assemble  in  conference,  so  that a  true  assessment  of  these  dangers  could  be made.  The two years that have elapsed have not seen  any  fundamental  change  in  the situation.  In fact the stock piles of nuclear  weapons have  increased,  new  nations have  joined  the  ranks  of  those  producing  those  weapons-or  trying  to  produce  them-while serious misgivings have been  expressed  as  to  whether even the continued  testing of  such weapons  may  not  result  in  damage to the  population. 

            The problem of assembling such a conference of scientists has not been an easy one  to solve.  It was difficult to find a time and place of meeting convenient  to  scientists  of  many  nations.  It was more difficult still to find the necessary financial support.  Fortunately, in the end, some generous friends were found to make money available  or the meeting.  In this connection I must pay a  tribute to  the  great  generosity  and  helpfulness of  your  host,  Mr.  Cyrus S. Eaton, who, by coming to  our  support  at  a  critical  moment,  made  the present  meeting  possible,  not  only  by  providing  suitable premises,  but  also  by  contributing  most  substantially  toward  the cost  of  bringing  the  participants  to  his  residence  at  Pugwash.  I should like, also, at  this  stage  to thank the  Indian  Science  Congress  for their offer of  hospitality  for the  meeting.  Some of you will  remember that  it  was  at  first  planned  to  hold  this  meeting  in  Delhi  last  January,  and  the Science  Congress  very generously offered  to  provide all  the  necessary  facilities. Unfortunately, however, owing to various difficulties it  was  not  found  possible  to  proceed  with  these  arrangements. The two years  that have elapsed since that statement 

            The  present meeting,  although  of  a rather small  number  of people,  is  nevertheless  of  great  importance.  Its peculiar value lies  in  the fact that  it  represents  a  meeting, for the  first  time,  of  leading  scientists  coming  from  many  countries,  and  representing  all  shades  of  political  opinion,  who  have seriously considered the  dangers  of  an  atomic  war,  and  are  concerned  with  doing  what  they can  to  avert  it.  The invitations  have  been  issued  on  an  individual  basis.  The participants  represent  only  themselves,  so  that they may  put  forward  their  point  of  view  with  frankness;  and  since  the proceedings are private,  without  the  fear  that  misquotation or partial  quotation  may distort their  true  opinions.  I  hope  that the discussions  will  be  carried  on  in  an  informal  manner  in  the security  given  by  complete privacy,  because  I  believe  that  informal  exchanges  may achieve  more  than  formal  resolutions  at  the present  stage. 

            On  some  of  the  problems  that  will  be  discussed  there  is  no  unanimity among  scientists.  Even  the  effects  of  the weapons are subject  to  wide  uncertainties.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with  respect  to  nuclear  weapon  tests.  It  is  first  necessary,  then,  to  try  to  establish  what  is  definite, and  to  separate  it from  what  has  to  be  inferred  or  conjectured.  If  this  meeting  could  make clear  the  scientific  facts  with  regard  to  such questions,  and  the  place  where certain  knowledge  ends,  and  hypothesis  begins,  it  would  perform  a useful service. 

            Inevitably  I  expect a  great  deal  of  time  will  be  devoted  to  the  biological  hazards  of  radiation  in  general  and  of  tests  in  particular.  But  I  hope  the  members of the  conference  will  dwell  also  on  the  importance  of sustaining  peace,  when  a  major  war  would  inevitably  become  a nuclear war.  The  effect  of  bomb  tests  is  likely  to  remain controversial for  a  long  time to  come. One's  attitude  to  it  depends  not  only  on  an understanding of  scientific  facts,  but  also  on  certain  moral and  political  assessments.  But  I  do  not expect  anyone here  would  care  to  dispute  that the large-scale  use  of nuclear weapons  in  war  would  represent an  immeasurable catastrophe. Since the  use  of  these  weapons  seems  certain  to follow  in  the event  of  any  future  world  war,  it  is  not  possible for the conference  to  escape  consideration  of  the  age-old question  of  the  abolition  of  war  as  a  means  of  settling differences  between  nations.  Our  own  age  is  faced  with  the  task,  either of  solving  this  problem,  or  of witnessing the  destruction  of  all  those  finest achievements  for  which  the very highest  of  human intellect,  courage,  and  resourcefulness  have  la bored  during  past  mi  I  lenn  ia.  When  it  is  agreed  that a  major  war  would  be an  unspeakable  disaster  to  all  mankind,  it  follows  that  methods  other  than  war,  or  the threat  of  war,  must be  devised for  deciding  questions  as  to  which  different  nations  disagree.  The  first  step  toward  such methods  must.  be the lessening of  mutual  suspicion  which  has  been  rendering  all  negotiations  abortive. 

            It may be hoped that the present cooperation among scientists of diverse nations and  diverse  opinions  will  prove  the  seed  from  which  gradually, a  sense  of  common  human problems  will  come  to  replace  the  present  futile  competition,  from  which  nothing but  catastrophe can  result. 

            It  seems  hardly  possible that  the  present  meeting  can  get  very far  toward  a  solution  of  these  perplexing  problems,  but  if  it  does  no  more  than  bring  scientists  of  so  many different points  of  view  together for frank  and informal  discussion,  and  if  it  can  work  out  ways  and  means  of  continuing  these  contacts, then  it  will  have  achieved something  of  importance. I  hope  indeed that  this  meeting  will  not  be  thought  of  as  just  an  isolated  incident,  but  rather  as  the forerunner of  other larger meetings, even  more  fully  representative  It  may  be  hoped  that the present  cooperation among  of  different  countries, ideologies  and scientific  disciplines.

It is a matter of very regret to me that my state of health has prevented  me  from  being  with  you  in  person.  I should dearly  have  liked  to  take an  active  part  in  the  discussions,  particularly  as  they  concern  broad human  issues.  I realize that  my  absence  may  lead  to  certain  complications  in  the  detailed  arrangements for the  meeting  and  I  regret  this  very  much.  I  would  mention,  however, that  in  all  the  preliminary  arrangements of  organizing  the conference  I  have had the  advice  of  Professors  Powell and  Rotblat  and  I  suggest  that  it might  make for the smoothest  running  of the  meeting  if  the  actual organizational  arrangements  continued  in  their  hands. 

            With  these  few  words  I  can  do  no  more  than  give  you  my  most sincere  good  wishes for  a  successful  and  stimulating  series  of discussions.

                                                                                                -- Bertrand Russell