THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE

A Graduate University and Research Center

JUL? 1965

NEW YORK, N.Y. 10021

July 7, 1965.

To U.S. Nobel Laureates in Science:

As you may know, Senator Ernest Gruening (D-Alaska)
is now sponsoring a bill in Congress (8.1676) which he re-
fers to as the "birth control information bill." Senator
Gruening is now holding hearings on this bill before the
Government Operations Subcommittee on Foreign Aid Expendi-
tures, of which he is Chairman.

This bill, and the purpose of the present. hearings,
have been well outlined by Elinor Langer in Science, vol.
148, p. 1702, June 25, 1965, a

I have undertaken, on behalf of Senator Gruening,
to invite the U.S. Nobel Laureates in Science to testify
before his subcommittee. I have been encouraged in this
by ‘your enthusiastic endorsement of the statement prepared
earlier this year.

The date now set for this hearing is Wednesday,
July 14, at 10 a.m. in the Subcommittee meeting room,
Washington, D.C. At this hearing the plan is for a num-
ber of Nobel Laureates from different disciplines, speaking
as leading scientists, to present their views of the signi-
ficance of population control, and the consequences of a
continued population explosion. This, from the point of
view of thelr own particular area of science, and in re-
lation to its future development and contribution to
society.

There will be no attempt, at this hearing, to
elicit testimony relating to the technical and specialized
aspects of the problem. These will be covered by appro-
priate experts in later hearings during the summer.

The aim of inviting testimony from our group is
admittedly educational, in stimulating free discussion and
full consideration of this most important world problem by
Congress, and before the people of this country.

It is only because I consider, as most of you do,
To U.S. Nobel Laureates in Science July 7, 1965,

this problem to be of primary importance and urgency, that
I agreed to cooperate in this effort. This, even though
Senator Gruening regrets that no funds are available to
Support our participation.

Testimony may be presented either in person or by
letter. Please let me know immediately if you wish to
testify and whether or not you will be able to attend in
person, In either case a written statement should be
submitted for the record,

Sincerely

E. L. Tatum

Tel. area code 212, LEhigh 5-9000