February 17, 1977
Dear Peter,
I look forward to reading the piece from the T.L.S. (which you omitted to enclose).  I think you must distinguish sharply between what is at present politically impossible (about which I agree with you) and what is, in the long run, socially desirable.  I don't agree with you about the latter because I think the objections made are either so general that they would apply to any form of organization in society or are made against rather silly schemes which no sensible person would put forward.  I find it difficult to believe that the present gene pool is near any sort of optimum composition and rather surprising that no one dares to consider whether a different gene pool might not be more acceptable to almost everybody contained in it.  However, we shall never agree on all that by correspondence.  I appreciate your good sense in not wishing to get involved publicly with the issue.  I feel exactly the same way but I don't feel comfortable about it.
Now about your visit to California in March.  I do hope we can arrange it so that we can meet.  Do let us know any possible date as soon as you can as we tend to get booked up.  So far the few days on either side of 20th March are free.  However, you should realize that we are about 2 l/2 hours or so from Los Angeles by car.  The air journey is not in effect much shorter because of the time for getting to and from the air ports, etc.
If you would like to give a colloquium at the Salk Institute I can raise some funds to contribute to your expenses but I don't see how you can give a talk here on a Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. and leave from Los Angeles for Hawaii at 1 p.m. or did you plan to fly to Hawaii from San Diego airport?  I understand there is a daily flight, Western 553, leaving at 2:00 p.m., and reaching Honolulu at 5:45 p.m.
Let me know what you feel.  You might, for example, fly to L.A. and stay with the Spaldings.  We could come up, on either the Saturday or Sunday and drive you back to La Jolla.  You could then give your talk on the Monday morning and fly out from San Diego to Hawaii.  But of course other plans are possible.  As time is getting short I suggest we communicate by telex.  Our number is 910 337 1283.
F. H. C. Crick
Ferkauf Foundation Visiting Professor