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580001807
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Letter from Alfred Fisk to President Harry S. Truman
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580001807
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document
title
Letter from Alfred Fisk to President Harry S. Truman
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Official Files (Truman Administration)
Official Files
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580001807
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30
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1950-01-30
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1950
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San Francisco State College
San Francisco 2, California
Jan. 30, 1950
The Hon. Harry S. Truman,
The White House,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. President:
I am but an unknown professor in a small American college, and I
have been indulging in that futile game, "If I were President of the
United States-- In view of the tense world situation, the hydrogen
bomb, and the possibility of a war which will wipe out civilization, I
an constrained to write you--though I know that the chances are small
that anyone of importance will read this.
Is there not at least a possibility worth trying that the stalemate
with Russia which seems now to have but one possible outcome--war, might
be changed over night by a dramatic, world appeal made by you for total
world disarmament. Anything less than this seems unlikely to succeed--
e.g. to outlaw atomic warfare while keeping other armaments.
International inspection, a necessary corollary of this proposal
would lose its threat if the threat of further international war were
completely removed.
Total disarmament would include: disbanding all armies, navies,
military airforces; abolishing conscription; progressively to demilitarize
all bases and harbors; to close military training schools; to turn over
all civilian functions of the war department to other agencies and to
close the war department; to develop atomic energy for civilian use only.
The attempts of previous disarmament conferences were to lower
the scale of armament and they failed; this is to abolish armament.
Even the propoganda value of such a peoposal would be of incalculable
value to us. It would take the peace offensive from the Russians and
give it to us. All the world would look to us as the source of moral
leadership and a source of hope for the future.
Perhaps the greatest opposition to such a proposal would be from
at home. It should be accompanied by a proposal of full pension on full
salary for all military officers, and by some "support" program (similar
to present agricultural support) which would undergird industries which
have been geared to military supply. This would be costly-but not as
costly as our present military budget, and far less costly than war.
I urge you to make such an appeal, dramatic and world-arresting.
If the Russians turn it down, at least our record would be clear before
the world and before history.
TRUMAN
With every good wish and prayers for your divind guidance,
HARRY
NATIONAL
LIBRABY
SERVICE
Sincerely Alfred alfred G. yours, Fisk, b Jisk Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy