ATB59 Congress of the Anited States ant rn Bouse of Representatives Washington, B. €. par June 7, 1957 THE WHITE YOUSE Jun | | 8 59 AM °57 RECEIVED ai * ay ays - 3 The President HEARTED The Jhite House Dear iir. President: de, the undersigned members of Congress, respectfully and urgently call on you to support five steps in the direction of survival in the face of the awesome peril arising from the development of nuclear weapons. You have repeatedly pointed cut the terrifying proportions of the present situation. "Humanity," you said in your September 19, 1956, breadcast, "has now achieved, for the first time in its history, the power to end its histcry. Humanity's history may in fact end in the space of a few hours. Three nations have the means to enc it. an accicent could trip the mechanism of retaliation. a limited war could spirai sut of control. ThetLoiwwa. could coldly calculate that time is on the sice of the free world and that it could win an all-out war even with its Lack broken by our aes counterattacks. Kor ee~ de realize that these thoughts are not new to you, Mr. President. You recognize your cuty and we recognize ours. Je surely agree beth on the magnitude anc the inminence of the nucleardanger. Here indeed is a brink on which we and all the world teeter. Contemplating the abyss need only occupy a moment. Tnen our efforts must turn toward regaining our balance and moving to solid ground. | - coat oF 13754 Our long term goal of arriving on this solid ground safely away from the nuclear abyss is of course a workable disarmament agreement and we are encouraged by the vigor of your policies in this area. But results here are too far in the future and today we do not dare rely solely on our enemy's fear of massive retaliation. Fear of mutual destruction is a flimsy basis for balance at the brink of the abyss. de most earnestly ask that you place your full official and personal weight behind the following five measures, all of which are in our opinion likely to aid in the survival of mankind, whether or-not nuclear war comes. * a BEST COPY AVAILABLE