Evening star., 1955-07-10
Statement From Bertrand Russell
Giving Einstein's Plea Agoinst War

LONDON, July 9 tP,.-Tert of state
ment on nHclear tDeGpons released today br
Bertrand Russell:
In the tragic situation which confronts
humanity we feel that scientists should as
semble in conference to appraise the perils
that have arisen as a result of the develop
ment Of weapons OF mass destruction, and to
discuss a resolution in the spirit of the ap-
pended draft.
We are speaking on this OCCASION not as
members of this or that nation. continent
or creed. but as human beings members of
the species man. whose continued existence
is In doubt The world is full of conflicts and.
overshadowing all minor conflicts, the titanic
struggle between Communism and anti
Communism.
Almost everybody who is politically con-
scious has strong feelings about one or more
OF these issues. But we want you, If you can,
to set aside such feelings and consider your
selves only as members of biological species
which has had remarkable history, and
whose disappearance none OF us can desire.
All Equally in Peril
We shall try to say no single word which
should appeal to one group rather than to an
other All. equally are in peril, and if the
peril is understood, there Is hope that they
may collectively avert it.
We have to learn to think in a new way.
We have to learn to ask ourselves not what
steps can be taken to give military victory to
whatever group we prefer for there no longer
are such steps: the question we have to ask
ourselves Is: What steps can be taken to pre-
vent military contest of which the issue
must be disastrous to all parties?
The general public. and even many men in
position OF authority have not realized what
would be involved in war with nuclear
hn
terms OF the obliteration Of cities. It is under
stood that the new bombs are more powerful
than the old and that while one A-bomb could
obliterate Hiroshima, one H-pomb could OBJ
Hterate the largest cities, such as London,
New York. and Moscow.
No doubt in an H-bomb war great cities
would be obiiterated. But this is one of the
minor disasters that would have to be faced.
II everybody in London. New York and Mos
cow were exterminated the world might in
the course Of few centuries, recover from the
blow. But We now know, especially since the
Bikini test, that nuclear bombs can gradually
spread destruction over very much wider
area than had been supposed.
Could End Human Race
1t is stated on very good authority that a
bomb can now be manufactured which will be
z.ooO times as powerful as that which de-
stroyed Hiroshima
Such bomb. if exploded near the ground
or under water, sends radioactive particles into
the upper air. They sink gradually and reach
the surface of the earth in the form of a
deadly dust of rain 1t was this dust which
infected the Japanese fishermen and their
catch of fish.
No one knows how widely such lethal radio
active particles might be diffused, but the best
authorities are unanimous In saying that a
war with H-bombs might quite possibly put
an end to the human race
1t Is feared that If many H-bombs are used
there would be universal death-sudden only
,for minority,but for the majority a slow
torture of disease and disintegration.
Many warnings have been uttered by
eminent men Of science and by authorities in
military strategy. None of them will say that
the worst results are certain. What they do
say is that these results are possible and no
one can be sure that they will not be realized.
We have not yet found that the views Of
experts on this question depend in any degree
upon their politics or prejudices They de-
pend only, SO far as our researches have re-
vealed. upon the extent of the particular ex-
pert's knowledge. We have found that the
men who know most are the most gloomy.
Choice Of War or Life
Here then is the problem which we present
to you, stark and dreadful and inescapable:
Shall we put an end to the human race: Or
shall mankind renounce war? People will not
face this alternative because it is so difficult to
abolish war.
The abolition of war will demand distaste-