May 3, 1971

Mr. Elliott Richardson

Secretary of Health, Education
and Welfare

330 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 29201

Dear Secretary Richardson:

I have discussed with my editors the possibility of print-
ing your letter in ny column. They are opposed to the idea
on the grounds that my column then becomes a political forum.
On April 29th, the Ann Landers colwan was most unusual. I
departed from the regular format and I would like to tell
you why.

Before I went on the line for S-34%, I did

4 great deal of
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investigating, consulting and soul-searchin
e Re
3

. I serve con

sources and
Development Cosalbtties Tou Harvard “Medical Sonos, so you
can see I have many good friends on the other side. My
decision to back S-34 was predicated on the belief that our
govermient's priorities for spending (120 billion for Viet
Nam) reflects neither the wishes nor the best interest of
the American people.

e
a
S

the A.M.A. Advisory Committee and on th

Why cancer? Because cancer has sex appeal. People relate
to it. Me. Nixon thought so, too, which is why he offered
100 million dollers “to conquer cancer." TI believe a mighty
offensive, patterned after N.A.S.A. just might produce the
miracle. We would not have put 4 man on the moon had Russia
not seared us to death in 1957 with Sputnik. We would
probably still be fooling around with the Federal Aviation
Agency. I saw here an opportunity to alert my 54 million
daily readers and avail them of the opportunity to express
themselves.

Why not use the existing machinery, the N.I.H. and The Cancer
Institute? Because the existing set-ups are a jungle of

red tape through which a good many dedicated people have
tried to hack a path and finally gave up -- exhausted, and
frustrated.
Mr. Elliott Richardson -2- May 3, 1971

The key question is not, however, whether Cancer Research
should be done by the N.I.H. or A National Cancer Authority,
but that there be a realisnment of sovernment spending --
that health and medical research not be given the scraps
off the table while the military gets gourmet meals. The
Naticnal Cancer Authority provides the opportunity for an
all-out fresh. new massive assault on a killer disease.

And since all canecr research is based on molecular biology,
scientists everywhere are bound to benefit.

I apoloeize for the leneth of this letter. No one snouid
have to read a letter this long. But as Pascal said, "I did
not have tine to urite a short letter, so I wrote a long one."

Sincerely,

AL: vk