INDIANA UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY April 16, 1957

Dr. Joshua Lederberg,
Department of Genetics and
Department of Medical Genetics,
The University of Wisconsin,
Madison 6, Wisconsin.

Bear Josh:

I would have answered your first letter long ago except for the fact that
I did not know how to reach you in Europe and was waiting for your return. So
I was glad to get your recent letter as evidence that you were home and that all
had gone well on your trip. By now of course you will have had Mitchison and
I hope you were able to give him some good reasons to consider Madison. As he
probably told you, he had an offer from Harvard and turned it down, but is
going to be there second semester next year so that he and his wife can look
over the situation and decide whether they wish to reconsider.

I must admit that I had personal satisfaction at your having turned down
the Harvard offer. That is what they deserved after the long lag involved
in finally coming to you with a firm offer. I know that is a small way of
looking at things but I couldn't help having a little devilish delight at
the whole situation. I don't know whether you were aware of another aspect
of the Harvard situation and, if so, I hope it did not really influence you
very much. This concerned Levine. They have been consulting me about the
problem of giving Levine tenure and in the course of the discussion I pointed
out that, while he might be a very good man, there were others who have thus
far at least proved themselves quite superior to him and should be considered
above him. When asked for specific names of course yours was the one. I
presume your decision may have something to do with whether or not they will
keep Levine. The department likes Levine very much but they undoubtedly felt
that they had to go after the best man first.

These last two months in the semester are always hectic and it seems
each year as if they get more so. I have had a wonderful time this year
playing with new varieties of Paramecium which have breeding systems very
unlike the ones that I have previously dealt with. I have found outbreeding
varieties and am very interested now to compare them with the inbreeders we
have studied. I expect to be at the Argonne for the summer, beginning July
first, and hope that we can get together occasionally.

Meanwhile I am delighted at the troubles you are having in making
important decisions. It is grand that so many top places have suddenly waked
up to the desirability of capturing you.

With very best regards to you and Esther, as ever,

Soulvorn

TS /k T. M.