CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

PASADENA CALIFOS™NIA 91125

DIVISION OF BICLOGY

Avril 29, 1975

Dr. Oliver Smithies
Laboratory of Genetics
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Dear Dr. Smithies:

You may recall my letter to Elizabeth Russell deted January 29, 1975

(a copy of which was sent to you) giving my reasons for opposing the draft

resolution on race and IQ thet wes being circuleted to members of the
Genetics Society of Americe. IP so, you can imegine my dismay on learning

from Tibby at the National Acedexy meeting in Washington last week that

of more than 1000 replies she has received from the membership, some 90%

are in favor of the resolution.

I was also informed by Dr. Russell tnat it
results of the balloting in « future issue G=vteETICS. I wish to register
a strong objection to such publication, since it will in effect constitute
an endorsement of this highiy controversial resolution by the Society
without debate and discussion. Indeed, it may elreedy be too late to prevent
press announcements, since a writer for BioSciexce was interviewing
Dr. Russell on this subject et the Aceadexy Duilding last week. Nevertheless,
I think it is important to keep in mind thet the resolution as of now has
the status of a committee recommendation thet hes not teen discussed by the
membership.

planned to publish the

QO |
oO rh on

In view of the complicated and exctional nature of the subject, I think it
would be inappropriate to discuss in the usual way at a 1-1/2-hour business
meeting of the Society. I would to recommend that something more formal
be considered - such as a special ue of GENETICS with written arguments
from both sides, or an organized session at an annual meeting of the Society,
with invited speakers from each side. This would be followed by floor dis-
cussion and a vote. Anything less than this would, in view of the strange
history of the resolution to date, be suspect.

One result of the fact that there has been no oven discussion of the resolution
is that only the officers are in a position to xnow who favors and who opposes
the resolution, and what their different reasons are. Yet such considerations
Oliver Smithies
ii 29, 1975

ze 2

4 Ne, ba
ste
v'die

(

ere or great weight in democratic decision-making processes. I, for
exenple, would like to know at this juncture who among our membership
sheres my opposition to the draft resolution. I have no way of finding
out, except through a request to you. Please consider this letter such

@ request.

Yours sincerely,

J ihierenty

N. H. Horowitz
Professor

ec: J. Crow

J. Lederberg
=.B. Lewis
R.D. Owen
E.5. Russell
S. Wright
D. Perkins
D. Stedler

. Roman