BRACERS Record Detail for 56353
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BR could not answer Einstein's cable satisfactorily. BR had not heard of the proposal in question and is not in touch with the people in question.
[Yet this may concern B&R F47.03. See Einstein on Peace, pp. 462-4. Einstein seems to have inferred from BR's letter that his signature on the appeal in B&R F47.03 was not authorized by BR, as Einstein told Henry Usborne on 9 January 1948.]
BR TO ALBERT EINSTEIN, 26 DEC. 1947
BRACERS 56353. ALS. McMaster
Proofread by K. Blackwell
<letterhead>
Penralltgoch
Llan Ffestiniog
Merioneth
26.12.47
Dear Einstein
I am very sorry I couldn’t answer your cable1 satisfactorily. I am in a remote place in the Welsh mountains for Christmas, and other people also are dispersed. I am not in touch with the people making the proposal in question,2 which I had not heard of; I do not know who they are. If I did, I should no doubt wish to cooperate with them.
All best New Year wishes.
Yours very sincerely
Bertrand Russell.
- 1
your cable Einstein’s cable is not extant.
- 2
not in touch with the people making the proposal in question Numerous newspapers included Russell among the signatories of an appeal to Stalin released 20 Dec. (see “Danger of Atomic War; Approach to Stalin Suggested”, The Times, 22 Dec., p. 4). Here Russell seems to deny being a signatory and yet to agree with their proposal to develop “a predominance of defensive strength”. Einstein concluded “It seems that Bertrand Russell’s signature was not authorized by him” (Einstein on Peace, ed. Otto Nathan and Heinz Norden [New York:Simon and Schuster, 1960], p. 463). The appeal’s full text has not been found, but as much as possible is reconstructed in an appendix to Collected Papers 24.
