Corporate Connections of Notable Scientists

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Corporate Connections of Notable Scientists

by Charles Schwartz

‘Science for the People’ Vol. 7, No. 3, May 1975, p. 30 – 31

On February 3, 1975 the San Francisco Chronicle devoted its entire letter-to-the-editors section to a “Scientists’ Statement on Energy Policy” signed by 32 “notable scientists”. This letter professes concern that the “Republic is in the most serious situation since WWII.. the high price of oil which we must now import in order to keep Americans at their jobs threatens our economic structure-indeed that of the Western World. Energy is the “lifeblood of all modern societies and they are currently held hostage by a price structure that they are powerless to influence.“ The letter goes on to discuss the shortage of oil and natural gas, and the need to convert to the use of solid fuels, especially uranium. They applaud the much criticised Atomic Energy Commission for its recent separation “into the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which provides added reassurance for realistic management of potential risks and benefits. ” The letter, (originally released at the National Press Club in Washington, DC) was signed with “Professional affiliation… for identification purposes only” but with special indication of Nobel Prize winners. The following letter was sent to the Chronicle by Science for the People member Charles Schwartz but was never published. Natch.

February 6, 1975 

San Francisco Chronicle: 

The statement on national energy policy signed by 32 leading scientists, which you ran so prominently in Monday’s paper, needs to be sprinkled with a bit of salt before the public may digest it healthily.

In reaching their chief conclusion — namely, that this country should go full ahead with the nuclear power program — these eminent scientists lace their technical discussion with a good deal of personal, and clearly political, opinion. They raise the fear of “the end of our civilization as we know it”; they call for “many sacrifices on the part of the American people”; and as for placing blame for the immediate crisis, they simply parrot the Administration’s jingoistic line that it is the fault of the oil exporting nations and “all modern societies.. are currently held hostage by a price structure that they are powerless to influence.” 

However, not one word in their statement acknowledges the dominant role played by the monopolistic energy corporations in rigging the rules of the energy game. How come? 

Reading the list of signers one sees that most of these scientists (26 out of the 32) are identified as being at universities; and thus, perhaps, their ivory tower isolation had caused them to overlook the realities of the business world. But this is not the case. 

By searching through library references I have identified fully two-thirds of these academic scientists as having personal ties with big business — for example, as consultants to General Electric, General Dynamics, Gulf General Atomic and others heavily involved in building nuclear reactors. What is even more startling is that over one-half of these men (14 out of the 26) have been placed on the boards of directors of major U.S. corporations – including such giants as Exxon, IBM, Xerox, TRW, Owens-Illinois,… [See below.] 

I do not question the motives which bring these distinguished professors to express their views on the energy problem. But I do suggest that the scope of “reasonable alternative” solutions which they allow themselves to consider may be unduly restricted by their own commitments to the corporate value system. 

Sincerely, 

Charles Schwartz
Professor of Physics
University of California
Berkeley, Cal. 94720

Analysis of the “Thirty-two leading American scientists” listed as signatories to the statement, “Toward a National Energy Policy”, published by the San Francisco Chronicle on its editorial page, Feb. 3, 1975.

 2 are identified with private industry (Baker, Kantrowitz) 

2 are identified as former directors of major AEC laboratories (Bradbury, Weinberg) 

2 have no institutional affiliation given (Lapp, Weaver) 

26 are identified with major universities (this includes the 11 Nobel winners) 

9 out of these 26 academic scientists have held high ranking positions within the AEC system, as members of the Commission, or its General Advisory Committee, or as directors of major AEC laboratories. (Bacher, Brown, Libby, McMillan, Pitzer, Rabi, Seaborg, Teller, Wigner)1

4 out of the 26 have been identified as consultants to, but not directors of, major U.S. corporations: 

Peter L Auer — General Electric2

Hans A. Bethe3 — Avco Research Labs; Atomic Power Development Associates; General Atomic Division of General Dynamics Corp.4

Edward M. Purcell5 — Itek Corp.6

Norman Rasmussen – Nuclear Energy Property Insurance Assn.; Baird-Atomic; Pilot Chern.; Gulf General Atomic7

14 out of the 26 academic scientists have been identified as members of the boards of directors of major U.S. corporations: 

Luis W. Alvarez8 — Hewlett-Packard9

 Robert F. Bacher — TRW: Bell & Howell; Detroit Edison10

John Bardeen11 — Xerox12 

Harold Brown — IBM; Times-Mirror13

Willard F. Libby14 — Research Cottrell; Nuclear Systems15

Franklin Long — Exxon; Inmont16

Kenneth S. Pitzer — Owens-Illinois17

1.1. Rabi18 — Sanders Associates19

Roger Revelle — First National Bank of San Diego20

Glenn T. Seaborg21 — Dreyfus Third Century Fund22

Frederick Seitz — Texas Instruments; Akzona23

Edward Teller — Thermo Electron24

James Van Allen — Iowa Elec. Lt. & Pw.; First National Bank of Iowa City25

Edward Wenk, Jr. — URS Systems26

 

>> Back to Vol. 7, No. 3 <<

 

FOOTNOTES

  1. American Men & Women of Science, 12th ed. 1971/1972
  2. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  3. Nobel Prize winner.
  4. American Men & Women of Science, 12th ed. 1971/1972
  5. Nobel Prize winner.
  6. Dunn & Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory 1974: and annual reports of various corporations.
  7. American Men & Women of Science, 12th ed. 1971/1972
  8. Nobel Prize winner.
  9. Dunn & Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory 1974: and annual reports of various corporations.
  10. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  11. Nobel Prize winner.
  12. American Men & Women of Science, 12th ed. 1971/1972
  13. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  14. Nobel Prize winner.
  15. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  16. ibid.
  17. ibid.
  18. Nobel Prize winner.
  19. Dunn & Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory 1974: and annual reports of various corporations.
  20. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  21. Nobel Prize winner.
  22. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  23. Dunn & Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory 1974: and annual reports of various corporations.
  24. Who’s Who in America 1974/1975
  25. Dunn & Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory 1974: and annual reports of various corporations.
  26. American Men & Women of Science, 12th ed. 1971/1972