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Conversations: 1951
April 10 and 11, 1951 MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILE SUBJECT: Conversations with Dr. Oliver E. Buckley and Charles B. Stauffacher Charlie Stauffacher and I had several conversations with Oliver Buckley on these two days. He has decided to accept the Chairmanship of the Science Advisory Committee. He has talked again with Bush, who is now enthusiastically in supportive the Committee. Bush had lunch with Wilson, Weinberg and Stauffacher yesterday. The RDB matter was also discussed a bit in passing. Buckley has now had his discussions with Weinberg and Wilson and has definitely accepted the Chairmanship, has been given quarters, etc. It is planned that the announcement will be made on Thursday, April 19, and that Dr. Buckley will meet with President Truman that day. Oliver Buckley has now talked with all initial members of the Committee except for Dr. Robert F. Loeb [Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons], whom he plan to talk with tomorrow. As far as is known Dr. Loeb has no intimation whatsoever of this matter. To my knowledge Dr. Buckley has not discussed it at all with him. The change from the name of Dr. Baird Hastings [Harvard University], whom Dr. Conant and others had suggested as the medical doctor member of the Committee, was made by Dr. Buckley this morning after I expressed Dr. Farnsworth Loomis’ [a prominent New York physician] judgments on this to him and after he had checked with Dr. Newton Richards, who was the biologist member of OSRD and whom he greatly respects. He made this check on the telephone yesterday afternoon and then checked with Conant who agreed fully to the change. He also checked with Bronk and others on this. As of this evening, therefore, the Committee stands as:
In addition it is planned to add up to four younger scientists after additional consideration has been given to whom they should be. Donna Mitchell will be Dr. Buckley's secretary, if Bob LeBaron's [Bureau of the Budget] permission can be obtained, which can almost certainly be done. Dr. Buckley and I had some brief conversations about possible younger scientists and among the names mentioned were Dr. Luis Alvarez [University of California] (whom Henry Loomis had very strongly recommended to me a few days ago--strongly in comparison with [Jerrold] Zacharias [MIT], [Edwin] Gilliland [MIT] and [George] Kistiakowsky [Harvard University], although they rate high also). The inclusion of Killian [the only committee member without an advanced degree] just about eliminates a place for Rowan Gaither [a San Franciso attorney]. The name of George Beadle of Cal Tech, a biologist of broad comprehension, who was suggested, among others, by Farnsworth Loomis, was also mentioned. Mention was again made of Dr. Donald Marquis [University of Michigan] as a psychologist. William T. Golden |
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