2

(w)

some mighty embrace between two colliding Milky Ways a hundred
million years ago.

We don't desire the stars, an old boy once wrote. Well,
well, times change. When Sputnik rose on a roaring flame into
space, the first rocket-step was taken towards a perfectly material-
istic desire for other stars in our telluric grain of corn. Sput-
nik's day could have been a dizzying day of miracle, a proudly
happy day for man on earth--the start of the space age, with opened
horizons, and man-made rainbows over night-blue running tracks,
while the torches of science marched along the Milky Way.

But trembling happiness failed to put in an appearance.
You oughtn't throw satellites about when you are shut in refugee
barracks, and as long as the earth has torture chambers and slave
camps it has no need of Sputniks. The first Sputnik should have
beaconed forth from the roof-top of the United Nations, not in
secret Siberia. Satellites demand a cosmic consciousness, not
political parochial-mindedness.

The red setter beside me trembled and laid a paw on the
sleeve of my windproof jacket. There was going to be quite a
frost tonight. The December moon is no soft harvest moon for
cuddling under. The winter stars are no jolly Christmas sparklers,
but the keen spears of silver. Thought becomes frozen and afraid.

"When they saw the star they were exceeding glad," it is
written of the shepherds. Then it was the star of Bethlehem that
"led not men astray, but home." Bethlehem's star . . . Sputnik's
star. . . .

In a few years the first manned satellite will be sent to

3 (lc)

a space station. Instruments will be turned towards an unknown
universe of dark stars emitting radio waves instead of light rays.

Who sprinkled the high fields of blue with such stars?
We may guess that the crew will have something to think about over
their evening grog--if there is any grog and if it can run downwards.
Perhaps they will have some faint notion of a Great Engineer bent
over his drawing board among the galaxies, a cosmic architect draw-
ing up building plans for some far-distant chaos. And they will
ask each other if this Draughtsman can be the same God who stretches
out his fatherly hand to cover our hearts; if that Power which
pencils the sweep of the starry skies above us is the same Spirit
that prescribes the moral law within us. And if not--if the
Constructor is not the Father--are we able to love that cosmic being?

The Greeks once gave to moderation and reflection their
classical names: *metron* and *sofrosyne*. In that world of theirs
Icarus got his wings scorched as a punishment for his pride. To-
day we don't have wax and feathers but Sputnik alloys and hydrogen.
There can be no turning back from that dread traffic.

The setter rubbed his nose against me. I threw my arms
around his neck and faced the cottage window. It was lighted. The
kids sat eating their supper. Some toys were lying on the kitchen
table. Suddenly the heart asserted itself again, and we stood
up and went in. To a respite of an earthly home.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ROBERT K. BOWIE, Director
HENRY A. KISSINGER, Associate Director

6 DIVINITY AVENUE
CAMBRIDGE 38
MASSACHUSETTS

December 30, 1958

Mr. Gian Brioschi
Ing. C. Olivetti & Company
Ivrea, Italy

Dear Gian:

It has been a long time since we have been in touch
but I guess our lives are similarly hectic. As you know I
am Associate Director of the Center for International Affairs
here and I am enclosing a pamphlet which explains our program.
It was suggested to us that Peolo Rogers who is working for
Olivetti might be a useful Fellow at the Center. The Fellows
are expected to do important research and it is not really
worthwhile for them or for us unless they are able to work on
their own. Can you give me an honest opinion of him, writing
me here. While I will be in Europe for the month of January
visiting Germany and a few days in Paris, I doubt that we can
meet. My schedule is arranged by the German Foreign Office
and they must have a former Prussian drill sergeant in charge
of it. If you want you can reach me in Germany c/o American
Express, Frankfurt, from January 15-18 or in France at the
Hotel Pont Royale, 7 rue Montalembert, Paris, between January
25 and 28. However it will be a terribly rushed affair.

I am planning to be in the Middle East in May and
June and hope to stop over in Rome in which case I would
hope very much to see you. How about taking a trip to Sicily
together?

Warm regards.

P.S. 'We were delighted with Luciano Codignola. Please give
him my kind regards.