Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, Inc.
    A non-profit educational organization since 1971.
    Internet http://www.ratical.org/radiation/CNR/
Post Office Box 421993
San Francisco, California 94142, USA


   Lenore Marshall  
      Founder (1899-1971) 
   
   
      Board of Directors 
   
   John W. Gofman, Chairman 
      Prof. Emeritus in Molecular
      and Cell Biology, University
      of California at Berkeley 
   
   June Allen, M.Ed. 
      Enviro-Health Concerns,
      Wichita, Kansas 
   
   Ramsey Clark 
      Former U.S. Attorney
      General 
   
   Paul R. Ehrlich 
      Prof. of Biology,
      Stanford University 

   Frances Tarlton Farenthold 
      Attorney at Law,
      Houston, Texas 
   
   Franklin L. Gage 
      Environmental Consultant,
      Washington, D.C. 
      
   Eloise W. Kailin 
      M.D. Diplomate Am.
      Bd. of Allergy and
      Immunology 
   
   Richard McCarthy 
      Former U.S. Congressman
      from New York 
   
   Ian McHarg 
      Chairman, Department
      of Landscape
      Architecture & Regional
      Planning, University
      of Pennsylvania 
   
   Lewis Mumford (1895-1990) 
      Honorary Fellow,
      Science Policy  
      Foundation 
   
   Linus Pauling (1901-1994) 
      Nobel Laureate
      Prof. of Chemistry,
      Stanford University 
   
   Harold Urey (1993-1991)   
      Nobel Laureate
      University Prof.
      Emeritus, Chemistry
      Dept., University of
      California at San Diego 
   
   George Wald (1906-1997) 
      Nobel Laureate
      Higgins Prof. Of Biology,
      Harvard University 
   
      Organizational affiliation
      for identification only.
   
   
   
   
                                                          Renewal Request
   Dear Friend of C.N.R.,                                 Fall 1998
   
             *     One of the most overlooked dangers from nuclear
   pollution, and from other sources of irradiation, is the problem of
   INHERITED afflictions when the exposed persons subsequently conceive
   children. This topic belongs at the top of the list of importance,
   with respect to nuclear power and nuclear pollution.
   
             *     Anyone who is acquainted with cancer, or heart
   disease, or diabetes, or epilespy, or mental handicap, or learning
   disorders, or emotional disorders in the family --- and few families
   escape one of these afflictions --- may already know or suspect that
   people can INHERIT a tendency to these miseries. And to many, many
   others.
   
             *     The enclosed article [Asleep@Wheel.{html,txt}]
   supports the scientifically credible warning that at least one-fourth
   --- and maybe more than half --- of the inherited tendencies are
   probably due to the very low-dose radiation which humans have been
   receiving (generation after generation) from natural background
   sources.
   
             *     In short, it is a big mistake for people to assume
   that background doses do "negligible" harm. Because our warning is
   scientifically credible, doubling the "background" dose by nuclear
   pollution would be a crime against many, many future generations. The
   "mistake," once made, would require countless generations to un-do
   (Part 12 of the enclosure). Our warning stands in dramatic contrast to
   the assertions elsewhere that it would be inconsequential if the
   natural dose were ever doubled by "permissible levels" of nuclear
   pollution.
   
             *     Today, due to global warming and to the
   still-expanding world population, the nuclear power industry is
   preparing to promote a new generation of nuclear power plants, as the 
   alleged "solution" for energy. Back in 1971, we did the calculations  
   demonstrating that ONE YEAR's operation of ONE nuclear power plant
   (any type, old or new) necessarily creates the requirement to contain,
   for centuries, as much long-lived radioactive poison as created by the
   explosion of about 1,000 Hiroshima bombs (on reverse side of this
   letter [fission.{html,txt}]). As C.N.R.'s donor-slip has always said,
   "We can not solve the energy problem by creating a radiation problem."
   
             *     From 1971 to today, C.N.R. has continuously provided
   information and analysis of a type which no other group seems to
   generate. And in the first part of 1999, we will publish C.N.R.'s
   fourth book --- a major scientific monograph which points the way to
   preventing a VERY great amount of radiation-induced health-misery. As
   you know, I fully donate my own effort. 
   
             *     Nonetheless, C.N.R. has heavy expenditures to publish
   and distribute the work. And so we return to you for an annual renewal
   of support, without which we could not do it. Your generous help is
   always deeply appreciated.
   
                With warmest good wishes, John W. Gofman, M.D., Chairman
   
                                          ------>
					  [pointing to fission.{html,txt}]




              the hypertext form of this file can be found at
              http://www.ratical.org/radiation/CNR/fall98.html