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Burlington Atomic Energy Week, 1947

1947-10-27 Burlington Hawk-eye Gazette: ""Atomic Week Blackout at 7 Tonight""

FAIR, COOLER TONIGHT; WARMER THURSDAY

IOWA'S OLDEST NEWSPAPER - ESTABLISHED JULY 10, 1887

RIVER- 7 FEET 2 INCHES UP 2

THE BURLINGTON HAWK-EYE GAZETTE

VOLUME 111, NO 93, PHONE 6130
BURLINGTON, IOWA, MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 1947
14 PAGES--ONE SECTION [illegible] RICE


Atomic Week Blackout at 7 Tonight 

Tonight at 7 p.m. downtown Burlington will be blacked out for 5 minutes, and an hour later a mass meeting will be held in Memorial auditorium with atomic energy the theme. 
Burlington churches Sunday got a special Atomic Energy week underway with sermons on the subject from many pulpits. Store windows are decorated with atomic motifs, signs are on sidewalks and literature has been distributed by the League of Women Voters. 
Rear Adm. Lewis Strauss, a member of the atomic energy commission, will speak at the auditorium at 8 p.m. Also on the program is Forrest Seymour of the Des Moines Register Tribune staff. Both are familiar with the subject of atomic energy. 
Mrs. Dorothy Schramm, League board member, said a letter of commendation has been received from Albert Einstein noted scientist in connection wit the Burlington observance. The letter is as follows:
"Dear Friends: I thank you for your committee in the name of the emergency committee of atomic scientists for this opportunity to acquaint the citizens of Burlington with our efforts. These efforts have their origin in a feeling of  the heavy responsibility which physicists have taken upon themselves by the creation of thee atom bomb. 
"You all know that the development of this frightful means of destruction was urgently demanded by the perils of the wartime situation. The peril of the moment was removed by the success of this enterprise: simultaneously, however - by this very success - a new perilous situation has been created whose shadow is upon us continually. 
"The novelty of the situation lies in the fact that it can no longer be successfully coped with through national armaments. One can well threaten others through armament yet one cannot defend oneself effectively. Effective defense can be achieved only by the removal of the present anarchy in international affairs and by reliable supernational security against military aggression.
To achieve this is the task of responsible statesmen; on its success depends the fate of this and future generations not only here but in all counties. 
"Yet what can the handful of intellectual workers do so that this goal can be achieved? I may say without exaggeration that we have already started with some success on what is for us the only hopeful way. The intellectual workers cannot successfully intervene directly in the political struggle. They can achieve, however, the spreading of clear ideas about the situation and the possibilities of successful action. They can contribute through enlightenment to prevent able statesmen from being hampered in their work by antiquated opinions and prejudices. It is for this campaign of enlightenment that the emergency committee of atomic scientists was formed. 
"I appeal to you for your support in this work we have undertaken and wish you every success in your efforts" 
In conjunction with Atomic Energy week, the library announced the following books for circulation: "Dawn Over Zero", "Atomic Energy in the Coming Era", "Atomic Energy in Cosmic and Human Life", "Must Destruction Be Our Destiny?" and "Explaining the Atom."

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FAIR, COOLER TONIGHT; WARMER THURSDAY IOWA'S OLDEST NEWSPAPER - ESTABLISHED JULY 10, 1887 RIVER- 7 FEET 2 INCHES UP 2 THE BURLINGTON HAWK-EYE GAZETTE VOLUME 111, NO 93, PHONE 6130 BURLINGTON, IOWA, MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 1947 14 PAGES--ONE SECTION [illegible] RICE Atomic Week Blackout at 7 Tonight Tonight at 7 p.m. downtown Burlington will be blacked out for 5 minutes, and an hour later a mass meeting will be held in Memorial auditorium with atomic energy the theme. Burlington churches Sunday got a special Atomic Energy week underway with sermons on the subject from many pulpits. Store windows are decorated with atomic motifs, signs are on sidewalks and literature has been distributed by the League of Women Voters. Rear Adm. Lewis Strauss, a member of the atomic energy commission, will speak at the auditorium at 8 p.m. Also on the program is Forrest Seymour of the Des Moines Register Tribune staff. Both are familiar with the subject of atomic energy. Mrs. Dorothy Schramm, League board member, said a letter of commendation has been received from Albert Einstein noted scientist in connection wit the Burlington observance. The letter is as follows: "Dear Friends: I thank you for your committee in the name of the emergency committee of atomic scientists for this opportunity to acquaint the citizens of Burlington with our efforts. These efforts have their origin in a feeling of the heavy responsibility which physicists have taken upon themselves by the creation of thee atom bomb. "You all know that the development of this frightful means of destruction was urgently demanded by the perils of the wartime situation. The peril of the moment was removed by the success of this enterprise: simultaneously, however - by this very success - a new perilous situation has been created whose shadow is upon us continually. "The novelty of the situation lies in the fact that it can no longer be successfully coped with through national armaments. One can well threaten others through armament yet one cannot defend oneself effectively. Effective defense can be achieved only by the removal of the present anarchy in international affairs and by reliable supernational security against military aggression. To achieve this is the task of responsible statesmen; on its success depends the fate of this and future generations not only here but in all counties. "Yet what can the handful of intellectual workers do so that this goal can be achieved? I may say without exaggeration that we have already started with some success on what is for us the only hopeful way. The intellectual workers cannot successfully intervene directly in the political struggle. They can achieve, however, the spreading of clear ideas about the situation and the possibilities of successful action. They can contribute through enlightenment to prevent able statesmen from being hampered in their work by antiquated opinions and prejudices. It is for this campaign of enlightenment that the emergency committee of atomic scientists was formed. "I appeal to you for your support in this work we have undertaken and wish you every success in your efforts" In conjunction with Atomic Energy week, the library announced the following books for circulation: "Dawn Over Zero", "Atomic Energy in the Coming Era", "Atomic Energy in Cosmic and Human Life", "Must Destruction Be Our Destiny?" and "Explaining the Atom."