af

a
- or
te

November 15, 1955

Professor H, J. duller
Department of Zoology
indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

Dear Dr. Muller:

The enclosure Js a letter—to-the-editor that I wrote recently in response
to a request from Missa Adams to comaent on the Bulletin's current interest
in genetics, aid particulurly on Rabinowithh's edié@rial on Muller at Geneva.
I am sure we must have discussed the same issues before, but I had not
realized how closely our views on the importance of chemical mutagenesia
coincided. Not haf-an-hour after I had malled out tho letter » I saw your
excellent article in the Scientific American— and 1 thought you would be
interested in my enthushestie seconding of your discussion on this point,

NATIINb)

Is there anything practical that can be done about this’ There are obvious
political implications in the enlargement of the problem of genetic hazards—-
especially that they should not be the unique concern of the AFC. ‘this agency
ds after all primarily a technical organization devote@ to the fullest pos—
sible exploitation of atomic energy; it is not surprising, in view of this pri-
mary mission, that they should act as if the genetic and other hazards were
annoyances to be swept under the carpet one way or another. ‘The watchdog over
our social future should be an agency for which the public health 13 the pré-
mary mission... but I wish I could wholeheartedly recommend any other agency
as having at present the sense of mission and the technically qualified person-
nel go take it over. It would not surprise me (but it may not be true) if the
AEC actually wuld be quite willing to hand over this hot potato to someone else.
But you mist have been thinking much mre deeply, and with uch more information
about these political mtters; if you have any suggestions, or can advise me
of anything that T can do, please lef% me know.

| Yours sincerely,
cc 7 lear
6 B0/ Wau: ha
“Mth

7
Cevyw2€2, .

be Rhame
Broce”

Joshua Lederberg