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• 

REF ID:A72694 

Pro.t'e.aor John Yon Newunn 

Instt tute for Advanced Study 

Princeton University 

Princeton, New Jersey 

Dear Pro!essor von Neumann: 

Serial: ?449 

Thank you vecy roucb Lor :your courtesy .and cooperation in reviewing and returning Pro!euor Cairns• report.. Your ta.kl.ng so JaUCh time 

and thought., amid DtailT other pream.ng dutie3,_ to reply to "IJl3' 18 Septeab.r letter is certainly apprecia:t.d. I !lave direeted my a.ssistant.s 

to giTe JaOSt care.tul consideration to all. the obsaNations you hoe 

made in ~ur letter ani it is probable that ve shall wish to consult 

with )'OU in the near future in connection with 80me of thea. 

I wir>h to astJUre you .a! my special appreciation of your Yalued 

assistance in the past at".d o! your otter ot further help. 

cc AG 

c/s 

cm rs 

Sincerely, 

RALPH J. CA~INE 

Major Gensral, US Anny 

Direetor, Anal Foroes Securl ty Ag1!iinC7 

M/R Self-explanatory. Ref. DIR1 s 1 tr to Prof. von Neumann senal 0579 

dtd 18 Sep 52, and Prof. von Neumann's ltr to DIR dtd 6 Oct 52. 

W F. Friedman, OONS, IDct. 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 02-18-2014 pursuantto E .0. 1352a 
_.i... REF ID:A72694 

THE IN.TUTE FOR ADVANCED ST. 

PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 

-,ajor C-eneral 5.al.ph J. Canine 

.U'-1) art":)3nt of Jefense 

Arnad F'orces ....ecurity Agency 

'1ashington 25, .J. c. 

Ref i ~0rial. uS79 

Dear Gerieral Canine• 

Please 6A~USO lrff Elel~ in 

September 191 I was awcy .from 

I only rotarned here recently. 

October 61 1952 

-:r yau.r COt.WID:C'JTIAL letter ot 

n several oxtensive trips alli 

Iw direct participa ~n in r symposium bponsored by AFSA 

at Il!A, Los Angeles, was~ light, but I had several discussions 

with Professor Cairns, 1Jr 'Tonpk s and other participants, and I was l.ll 

the Los Az16eles a~ a the symposium. I have therefore a 

certain amount oif ~nnat~on and a certain degree of an UJpression eoncenu.ng it. On th0 b~is f these, I will trJ to answer your questions 

l) to 5), altbo~\l hav o emphasize that ITW' answers are bdsed on imperfect 1nformati~')- reasons pol.nted out above • ...... _ ____,, 

In ~'lis ser..se, rn..r replies to your ;:il...estions are as follows: 

l) The objectives of the ser.d.nar seem to me a1,11ropriate. 

2) The progress or this summer was certainly in the rignt direction. 

Your decl.Bion to continue this effort next summer seems to me a veI)" proper 

one, since the first symposium had primarily to concentrate on working out 

methods and familiarizing the participants ffith a, for most of them wry 

unusual, class of problems. One out;ht to expect more than proportionately 

increas~ returns upon repetition. 

3) For tne reason Mntioned above, it seems to me very importan~ 

to have all, or as near)J.- as possible all, the participant<; of last swnmer•s 

symposium at the next eymposius again. I would consider Professors A. 

&leason and ..... tlall, and Dr. c. H. Toripkins as particularly useful. In 

addition, I think that Dr. ~. Ulam of the Los Alai.110s bcientific Laboratory 

could contribute a ver-i' 6reat deal. His participation la.st. summer was 

sought, but because of the shortness of the time available it did not in 

fact prove possible to arrange for J.t at that time. I think tnat it would 

be well worthwhile to start the procedure earlier now and to make quite 
- - - -

Major General Halpb J. Canine -2- October 6, 19$2 

nure or hl.3 paJ;'tioipation. 

4) Professor Cairns' suge;estion that the1-o be ...i. t..Gc;1iu.cal chairm.o.n and a separate atim.inistrative chairman seems to me a v-eiy good one. 

Ir Protessor Ca.irn5 is willing to take on the duties of a t.eohm.oal 

cr.8.l.rman again,, I woultl strongly favor his reappointment. If not, Pro• 

.f'essor Gleason would be excellent. U neither of thesn J.S avaJ.lable, I 

would roco"'1'1end i1r. TOMpkins. I think that the appointment 0£ an ad• 

mlnl.strative chainnan could be best e.rtected in consultation •'1th INA. 

It seems to me very likely that INA could furni the rignt man. 

5} Tho main auditio'lal objective - it :L an additional one - should, I think. be this: 'lo go as far b e lnto t.he methoa..11 

and tecaniques developed by- tf r .. Robert.a connection with tne 

ilnportaPt A..5A ~lem that has occup 1 of lllG the paBt year. 

The secun 1~f dil'ficul ties in this c~ n aTe ob ow:; 1 but the posei• 

bUity of doinz fruitful work on i J t with the help 0£ "toy" 

and other simulated proble'l!IS has 0 ively discus.sad previously 

and l.Uldoubtedl,y existo. 

I am, 

Jvll:eg 

..r.u., .... _..__._ be of sone use to you in 

nnection with the ne..ct. By1!1pOS1um 

U I can be of any further help in 

Sincerely yo~, 

John von Ne~ 

P.s. I am following your sug~estion and returning Pro.fessor Cairna' CO,~.t<"IDE..VTIAL report on SCAitP. 

JvU 

OO~!F\OE~~T\AL