Evening star., 1938-04-28
SCIENTISTS ASK
. END Of ARMS BAN
tl8 Members of Academy of
Sciences Express Fear
of FaSCiSm Peril.

Eighteen of Americas most dis |
tinguished scientists joined yesterday
IN letter to President Roosevelt |
urging that he lift the embargo on |
arms to Loyalist Spain.
While the letter referred specifically |
to Spain, signers said afterward that |
1t was intended as a gesture to express
the alarm they felt at the progress of
Fascist philosophy. with its summary !
treatment of independent thinkers
throughout the world
While all the signers are prominent
members Of the National Academy Of |
Sciences, Americas senate of brains"
1t was stressed that the action was
entirely independent of the academy
Itself, although all the members had |
ali opportunity to sign the letter.
Text of Letter.
The letter read:
"As citizens of this country, but |
primarily as scientists, We are con-
cerned about the spread of Fascism |
throughout the world. It has been |
the experience of science that au-
thoritarian governments create a !
climate in which the search for |
knowledge cannot proceed and in
which scientists cannot function. We
therefore seek the preservation in our |
own country Of that democratic tradi-
ton which has allowed science to ad-
vance. And, since learning knows no !
national boundaries, we seek also the |
preservation or extension Of democracy
In other lands. What Is true for |
2cientists is true also for all men and |
women who want freedon, to improve
their own lot
: 1T is our belief that you have it in
your power today to make for the
United States great contribution to
fhe democratic cause which you, like
ourselves, espouse. We believe that
giving the Spanish republic an op-
portunity to defend their country more
effectively against the spread of
Tascism would be to act in defense of
world democracy and American free
dom
The embargo placed on the ship
ment of arms to Spain by your
proclamation of May, 1887, was in
.voked in civil strife and to protect
the peace of the United States. To-
sday it is clear that, whatever its ma
eture in May of 1887, the war in Spain
rs now a war of invasion and conquest.
There is reason to doubt that the en-
barge now protects the peace of the
United States. On the contrary, it
@may Jeopardlze that peace by en-
-couraging the Fascist nations to pro-
-ceed with their use Of war as an
instrument Of national policy.
: I'VE, therefore, urge you, Mr.. Presi-
dent, to take cognizance of these
changes in the Spanish situation and
by executive action to lift the en-
barge. We feel that by so doing you
will be performing a great service
both for science and for democracy"
Signers Of Letter.
This letter was signed by the fol-
lowing:
Harold c. Urey, professor of chem
istry. Columbia University; Harlow
Shapley, director, Harvard Observa-
tory; Arthur H. Compton, professor
of physics, University of Chicago;
F. R. Moulton, permanent secretary,
American Association for the Ad-
,vancement of Science; J. NICK. Cattell,
New York, editor Of Science; Roger
Adams, professor Of chemistry, Uni
versity of Illinois; Edwin G. Conklin-
professor of biology, Princeton Uni
versity; George H. Parker, professor |
of zoology, Harvard University; Ed.
mund w. Sinnott, professor of botany, |
Columbia University; Sewall Wright,
professor Of zoology, University of
Chicago; F. K. Richtmyer, dean,
F.. Graduate School. Cornell University:
s, A. Mitchell, professor of astronomy,
University of Virginia. Charles A.
Kraus. professor of chemistry, Brown
University; Robert S. Mulliken, pro-
fessor of physics, University of Chi
cago; Oswald Veblen, professor of
mathematics, Institute for Advanced
Study, Princeton; S. Lefschetz, pro-
lessor OF mathematics, Princeton
University; Arthur B. Coble, professor
OF mathematics, University of Illinois,
and ]. F. Ritt, professor of mathe-
matics, Columbia University.
. Foreign Associates Elected.
At the annual business meeting of
the academy yesterday the following
were elected:
New foreign associates: Alfred
Fowler, professor of astrophysics, Uni
versity of London. Imperial College,
London; Pierre Janet, professor of
psychology, College of France; S. P. L.
Sorensen, director of the Chemical
Division of the Carlsberg Laboratory,
Copenhagen; D. NJ S. Watson,
Jodrell professor Of zoology and COM
parative anatomy, University College,
London.
New members of the academy: Carl
D. Anderson, California Institute Of
Technology; Walter H. Bucher, Uni
versity of Cincinnati; Edward A. Doisy,
st. Louis University; John A. Fleming.
Department Of Terrestrial Magnetism.
Carnegie Institution, Washington,
D. c.; Theodore Won Karman, Cali
fornia Institute Of Technology; War
rem K. Lewis, Massachusetts, Institute
Of Technology; William de B. Mac
Nider, University Of North Carolina;
Theophilus S. Painter, University of
Texas; Worth H. Rodebush, University
OF Illinois; Lewis J. Stadler, University
of Missouri; George w. Stewart, Uni
vefsity of Iowa Marshall H. Stone,
Harvard University; Louis L. Thurs
tone, University Of Chicago, and
Simeon B. Wolbach, Harvard Uni
versity.