Letter from Constance Farnham to President Harry S. Truman

104 Waterirlle st. Waterbury, Coun. January 31, 1950 President Truman The White House Can 7 Washington W.C. Dear ur. President: The question of whether or not this country is to embark upon the construction of the hydroqes bout is one that deeply concerus every citizen. Auch a momentors decision, it seems to me, should rest with the citizens of this democracy and this should he put to referendum vote This country is not now engaged in was. The idea that only the President, or, at most a few individuals, has sufficient knowledge of the world situation to reach a with decision is a pind ofthinking that belongs to a totalitorian state Woes not such an attitude show all appralling lack of faith in the democratic process ! as an individual citizen with to express my opposition to the construction of the hydrogen boub upon the following points: (1) a gigantic armaments race brings was inevitably closes. (2) Acientific experts have repeatedly stated there is no defense much more true if is of the new lupdrogen bowb against atomic warfore If that is true of atom bout how ARCHIVES NATIONAL SERVICE (3) no one urins in a future was in which atom bowls are wed (4) Real defense lies not in armanuents. Real defente his in moral power in faith, faith in our democratic heritage and in the possibilities for future growth in the democratic way, failts in (5) The urgency of our times dewands that we put our material law of the universe, faith in god the possibility of a world society of nations, faith in the moral and all constructive endeavors designed to help people every- and spiritual resources into strengtheming the United nations where recover physically and morally from recent WorldwartI- (b) Time is calling our buff. We must malize that the following quotations are not merely beautiful expressions of reliqious