22 February 1971

Dr. John T, Edsall
Fogarty International Center
National Inatituteer of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 2 0014

Dear John,

    I have been very distressed to see the letter to the President of the
National Academy by you and six other Academy members regarding a
Proposal by Dr. Shockley.  Like you f have not published anything on the
population problem, but f have become fairly familiar with the literature
of the subject.  I have also talked to Dr, Jensen when he visited the Salk
Institute recently.

   Unlike you and your colleagues 1 have formed the opinion that there is
much substance to Jensen's orrgwnents.  In brief 1 think it likely that more
than half the difference between the average 11. Q. of American whites and,
Negroes is due to genetic reasoar, and will not be eliminated by any for-
seeable change in the environment, Moreover I think the *consequences
of this are likely to be rather serious unless steps are taken to recognize   x~&M,

the situation.

    While any present conclusions are tentative, it seems likely that the
matter could be largely resolved if further research were carried out,  I
should thus l'ike to know two things,  Would you and your colleagues please
state in detail why they think the arguments put forward by Jensen are either
incorrect or misleadOng.  Secondly, would they please indicate what research
they think should be done to establish to what extent r%ztelligencelf is inherited.
This is surely the important point, and %s equally valid for a country without
a racllally mixed population,                                                 .


Dr. Edsall                  -2-     22 February 1971



   The mo,st dfstreeefng feature of your letter irs that it neither gives
nor refers to any scientific arguments, but makes unsupported statements
of opinion,  This, X need hardly remind youI is politicar, not science.
The voice of established authority, une,upparted by evidence or argument,
should have no place in science, and f am surprised to find that you, of
all people, should put your name to a letter of this character written to
the Academy on a matter of scientific research.  X am cure you will
realize that U the Academy were to take active eteps to ouppresa reputable
rscientific research for political reasons it would not be poaseible for me to
remain a Fore@ Associate..

    3 hope you will forgive me writing BO frankly, but we have known each
other now for a long time, and f have a great respect for your opinion on
matters such a$ this.
to anyone else.    I am not, for the moment, sending a copy of thirs letter

   Finally X should comment on the last paragraph in your letter.  I
cannot answer for Shockley, but It know that both Jensen and X would agree
with you on that point. 33ut thie has no bearing on how intelligent, on the
average, people's children are likely to be.

I leave here tomorrow, and expect to be back in Cambridge on 1st March.



Yours sincerely,

F. H. CL Crick

FHCC :11