JUN 1 8 1865

HORNBLOWER & WEEKS-HEMPHILL, NOYES

SINCE 1688

8 Hanover Street
New York 10004

June 16, 1965 HA 2-4120
DI 4-6600

Dr, Joshua Lederberg

Professor of Genetics

Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford Medical Center

Palo Alto, California 94304

Dear Dr, Lederberg:

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your very
thoughtful and thought-provoking letter of May 31, It seems to me that my
intentions and the aims you express are quite similar. The fundamental
biological knowledge which is needed will indeed have an impact on a wide
range of areas of investigation in addition to aging.

19Y

I agree with your modification of the first sentence of the third
paragraph of the proposed letter to the President and shall suggest this
change to those associated with me in the project. I have read Section II of
your report on mental retardation and am in accord with the procedures
outlined therein, It seems that we have a common purpose, namely to reduce
“discrepancies between length of life and useful life that we would all deplore, '"'
The problems of discovering fundamental knowledge are indeed different from
the specific engineering problems of developing a mechanical heart pump.
Nevertheless, we can accelerate a discovery of such basic knowledge by
increasing the funds and talent allocated to this objective.

NNAID

I believe that Marott Sinex and I would like to accept your offer to
prepare a draft version of a letter to the President to convene a commission
to accomplish the objectives stated in your letter. My own opinion is that a
letter signed by you and your colleagues, accompanied by your own specific
action program, based on your careful deliberations, might achieve your goals
in a much shorter time period.

With kindest regards,

Sincerely,
’ gee s
CCM MAGR MEL oe Ke
Cele * Cys
P¥FG:ajh Paul F. Glenn
cc: Lucius Burch; Stanley Buckman; Marott Sinex Sr
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