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Ozburn, Gertrude, November 25, 1947.
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Gertrude Ozburn 42=02 Layton Street Elmhurst, New York
November 25, 1947
Mr. Albert Einstein, Chairman, Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, Room 28, 90 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey.
Dear Mr. Einstein:
I had already read your article (as it appeared in the November "Atlantic") before receiving the reprint sent with your letter of November 22. I do share your "grave concern" and am quite ready and willing to contribute my small share to help in a campaign of "education", but I would like to make it "crystal-clear" that my definition of the word "education" does not embrace the word "fear". If you have to scare the living daylights out of people in order to "educate" them, then I think they are better off in a state of happy ignorance. However, I gather from the "tone" of your article that you do not consider that "fear is the greatest of all" educational instruments. So I am enclosing a check for ten dollars, which is as much as I can spare at the moment.
Please give my regards to your colleague, Mr. Harold C. Urey. I am pleased, if somewhat surprised, to know that he is still with us. After reading his brochure entitled "I AM A FRIGHTENED MAN" about a year ago I was firmly convinced that he was not long for this world. I trust that he has been able to sublimate his fears into more useful channels, as I am sure that some of our hysterical and panic-stricken politicians and diplomats have need of the sane and wise counsel of alert and public-spirited scientists.
Very truly yours, Gertrude Ozburn