STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
              STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
           PAL0 ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94304

DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEiMISTRY
Scbuol of Medicine

March 11, 1968

Dr. James A. Shannon, Director
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 20014

Dear Jim:

Last Friday, March 8, I testified before the Senate Sub-

committee on Government Research.  I am enclosing a copy of the
initial presentation which I made at the hearing.  Senator Ribicoff
presided because Senator Harris had been called home by a family
illness; Senator Mondale was present because he is the sponsor of
S. J. Res. 145, the prime purpose of the hearing.

   From the responses of the Senators and brief conversations
with the Committee aides, Dr. Steven Ebbin and Dennis Brezina,
I am more convinced than ever that Congress and the American people
must be better informed of the importance of basic research in the
service of man and relieved of the anxieties that this investment will
beget a monster.  How to do this?

We cannot rely on scientists.

They are with rare exceptions

not suited, trained and/or interested.  Scientists are, if anything,
more self-centered and less concerned with broader social issues
that affect their work than people in most any other craft or profession.
You can start a fire down the hall but as long as the flames are not
licking at his door, the serious scientist will ignore it and keep on
working.

We cannot rely on scientific societies either.

From my brief

exposure to executive responsibility in the American Society of
Biological Chemists a few years ago, I was impressed by the strong
traditional aversion to matters other than publishing a journal and
conducting scientific meetings.  It seems unlikely that these societies
will develop the collective common sense that longshoremen and
football players have displayed in hiring full- time professional talent
to represent their needs and aspirations to the public.

Area Code 415
321-1200

Dr. James A. Shannon -2- March 11, 1968

   It seems to me the only solution rests with the NIH,  the NSF,
the NAS and other federal and private agencies of great stature.
Some way must be found by them to train and employ full-time
professional talent to mobilize scisntists and non-scientist leaders
who share the conviction that research and education, supported in
the broadest way, here and abroad,  is the soundest dollar investment
the American taxpayer can make.
intelligence that scientists give freely in service on panels and
councils were directed to the mission of informing Congress,  the
news media and the public,  we'd be home.

If ten percent of the time and

I know that what I say in this letter is something you have

recognized and promoted for a long time.
that others of us are beginning to appreciate the?e facts and feel a
sense of urgency that your efforts be supported and expanded.

I just wanted you to know

With kindest regards,

Sincerely,

Arthur Kornberg

AK: es


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