NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER, Chairman, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. Č. DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People heartily endorses S. 1875 and H. R. 4502, the Pepper-Neely cancercontrol bill, and urges its speedy enactment into law. The Federal Government can no longer stand aloof while the dread disease cancer ravages and snuffs out thousands upon thousands of lives every year. The Federal Government should, and must, assume the responsibility of mobilizing all scientific knowledge in an all-out effort to ascertain its causes and cure. In our judgment, the Pepper-Neely bill is a very effective way to tackle the problem. Very truly yours, LESLIE S. PERRY. EXHIBIT 30 Senator CLAUDE PEPPER, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: I am wholeheartedly in favor of S. 1875, providing for cancer research; and for the appropriation of $100,000,000 to be retained until expended. It would seem to me helpful if amendments were made to cover the method of allocating these funds. For example, to provide continuity of investigation. I would point out that virtually all the elements of an organization already exist, in the National Research Council, the committee on growth, the Public Health Service, and the Army and Navy; from these organizations could be built a national cancer commission competent to allocate the funds, and to that extent direct the research program. The reasons why I favor this bill may be summarized as follows: 1. Any careful check shows that research funds now available are almost hopelessly insufficient. 2. There is no assurance of continuity in even such funds as are available. 3. There is very little coordination between the various investigating institutions. 4. The annual death roll and the acute suffering, plus the complexity of the cancer riddie, make up a problem which has proved to be beyond private or voluntary organizations. I am only a layman, and my competence cannot be compared with others who will come before you. I can only report to you that for the past year I have been doing little else but journey about the country gathering information on the cancer situation, and am supporting, and endeavoring to induce others to support, certain cancer-research projects under one of the largest cancer organizations. A man does this because it is all he can do, but from the facts I have gathered, I am convinced that your bill would give an enormous impetus to work which is already very promising. I have met scientist after scientist who will say privately, although not in a published “paper," that with proper financing and administrative control there is every likelihood that cancer could be licked within 10 years, perhaps in 5. I would be glad to do anything in my power to aid you and your committee in connection with your consideration and handling of this bill. Very truly yours, FRANCIS DRAKE. EXHIBIT 31 NEW YORK 18, N. Y., June 25, 1946. Senator CLAUDE PEPPER, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: It was my pleasure to receive an invitation to attend your hearings on the Pepper cancer-research bill from our good friend Julius Perlmutter, of Sponsors of Government Action Against Cancer. In view of the fact that my son is to be married on July 2, I shall be unable to attend any of the hearings. However, I shall appreciate your expressing my views for the record. 1. I am definitely and unequivocably in favor of Government action against cancer. 2. I am in favor of the size of the appropriation $100,000,000-as requested in your bill as the minimum amount necessary to undertake to find the solution to this grave problem. 3. I am in favor of the bill's being acted upon in its present simple language, unencumbered by amendments for specific obligations, appointments, or commitments. 4. I am unequivocally in favor of the President's appointment of a new and independent commission to program, plan, and carry out the purposes and intent of the Pepper bill. I would not like to see this new fund turned over to any present existing governmental agency. I should like to implore the committee through you to give this bill its prompt and unanimous action and support so that a great service can be rendered to all humanity. Respectfully, EXHIBIT 32 MORRIS W. HAFT. ABSTRACT OF THE STATEMENT TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SENATE, S. 1875 (By Ella Hoffman Rigney, executive director of Sponsors of Government Action Against Cancer) For nearly 20 years I have been associated with organized campaigns of the New York City Cancer Committee against cancer financed by donations from the public. Much good work has been done by the committee and its parent body, the American Cancer Society. However, it is a fact that there has never been any adequate fund available for the sort of concentrated educational program needed to obtain really successful results, to say nothing of the problem of research. As long as support must be obtained from volunteer collectors shaking cannisters, professional fund raisers, and the writing of appeal letters to individuals once or twice a year, the necessary mobilization of the best scientific brains of the world seems to be unobtainable. It would be very interesting to know the proportions of time, effort, and money used to obtain what barely covers working cost, of organizations striving to solve the cancer problem. The research workers can never devote themselves freely and entirely to their studies because of the uncertainties connected with fund raising. No definite long-term plans can be made and no guaranty given that the research job begun will have a chance to be completed. This is true also of the educational program. Naturally cancer has long been a problem of scientific interest. But even scientists must have economie security to conduct their research. Private donations to provide such security at best are variable and unpredictable, and have yet to reach a really impressive total measured against the enormity of the problem to be solved. During hard times-and they always seem to come along-donations from individuals fall off. Research begun is discontinued because of lack of financing. Such conditions do not make for the essential standards of concentration and continuity. The Government has established the National Cancer Institute and an act of Congress did recognize April as "Cancer Control Month," both evidences that our public servants do recognize the gravity of the cancer problem. Now it is time for the Government really to go into action, and in the simple wording of the Pepper-Neely bill the means to that glorious end is well provided. The answer to the fight against cancer is the same answer as the fight against other enemies of our Nation-all-out Government action of the same type that resulted in development of the atomic bomb and our victory over Japan. Two billion dollars was spent on the bomb. We ask for only $100,000,000 in the Pepper-Neely bill to combat cancer, a disease which today threatens 1 out of every 5 of our population. Today most cancer research is conducted by men who depend on grants-in-aid from philanthropic foundations. Scientists and doctors have to run around from "pillar to post," "hat in hand," so to speak, to solicit money to carry on their work, instead of concentrating on their particular piece of research. Grants-in-aid, for the most part are usually for short terms and there is no guaranty that they will be renewed. Continuity thus is often sacrified. Beginnings that promised much may be interrupted or significant discoveries ignored. Conducted in a haphazard manner, there has never been a satisfactory organization, planning, or competent direction for cancer research. Even in the great cancer laboratories, research scientists do not work in teams, but as individuals. Chemists concentrate on chemotherapy, and too often know nothing of the work of the geneticist, the student of heredity. The work of the physicist, concerned chiefly with the effects of X-ray and radium on abnormal growths, is not satisfactorily correlated with the work either of the pathologist or genticist. Government appropriation and administration should give us that unification of effort for which there is such a great need. The whole field of cancer research would be mapped out-a field to include chemists, physics, biology, pathology, and surgery. Scientists in different fields would be brought together to work as teams on special problems. The classic argument that thoroughly organized scientific research interferes with individual scientific freedom has now been answered by Government organization that gave us the atomic bomb, radar, and the proximity fuse. The coordination achieved by the National Research Council in pooling about 15,000 chemical formulas for study under Government sponsorship before one or two were selected and perfected for use against malaria is another answer to the oldfashioned argument. By Government-financed world-wide research in cancer more progress would be made in a few years than we can now make in 20 or even 50. In the end the cost would probably be about the same, or even much less than $100,000,000 that this bill asks. Too much money is now wasted by duplication in all fields of cancer research. Too much time is now thrown away in money raising by the scientist and the doctor, who should be concentrating on their laboratory work and the treatment of the cancer patient. Currently the Government is spending about $500,000 annually on research at the National Cancer Institute, founded in 1937 by act of Congress to "conduct, assist, and foster researches, investigations, experiments, and studies relating to the cause, prevention, and methods of diagnosis and treatment of cancer." An additional $100,000 also stems from the Institute for scattered research grants. This, plus the small amounts raised by private donations and the philanthropic foundations, are but drops of water to wear away the cancer stone. There is every reason why America should take the lead with a $100,000,000 organized fight on cancer. We are financially able to undertake the task. Our industrial resources which must be tapped for apparatus are unsurpassed. This testimony that I am submitting to the Senate committee is similar to that which I submitted to the House. This testimony represents my personal point of view as director of public relations of the New York City Cancer Committee from 1924-46. During these years fund raising for the New York City Cancer Committee was part of my responsibility. Therefore, I respectfully suggest 1. That the world scientists be mobilized for the purpose of an all-out fight against cancer. 2. That the appropriation of $100,000,000 be a minimum fund for cancer research. 3. I recommend the passage of bill S. 1875 in its present simple form. I hope that this bill will be passed as it is written and work begun as soon as possible. While we delay people are dying. Why delay longer? JULIUS J. PERLMUTTER, EXHIBIT 33 NEW YORK, N. Y., July 1, 1946. Chairman, Sponsors, Government Action Against Cancer, Washington, D. C.: Please put me on record as urging adoption of Pepper-Neely bill. I regard this as imperative Government duty in the face of awful toll taken annually by this malady. Action should be immediate and I trust this session of Congress will pass this vitally important measure. As officer of your organization, sponsors of Government action against cancer, I can assure Senator Pepper's committee that great majority of us citizens want this bill passed. JAMES A. FARLEY. EXHIBIT 34 JULIUS J. PERLMUTTER, NEW YORK, N .Y., June 28, 1946. Chairman, Sponsors of Government' Action Against Cancer, Washington, D. C.: Pressure of local activities prevents my attending Senate committee hearing as per your invitation. I would appreciate your expressing my regrets accordingly and my views as a member of the Sponsors of Government Action Against Cancer to Senator Claude Pepper and his committee. With regard to the Pepper cancer bill, S. 1875, I am definitely and wholeheartedly in favor of Government action against cancer specifically through the passage of this bill in its present form calling for an appropriation for $100,000,000 as a fund with which to battle and eliminate this dread disease and with authority to the President of the United States to appoint a new and independent commission to deal with this problem and thereby make an effort to save the lives of 17,000,000 Americans now doomed to die. Assemblyman LOUIS PECK, Seventh Assembly District, Bronx. EXHIBIT 35 NEW YORK, N. Y., June 28, 1946. Senator CLAUDE PEPPER, Chairman, Foreign Office Subcommittee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. Because I am leaving on extended trip this week end I will be unable to take advantage of the invitation to attend and testify before your committee on the Pepper-Neely Cancer Research bill. Please accept my regrets. My views are as follows: As a member of Sponsors on Government Action Against Cancer I favor the immediate enactment of the bill before you, S. 1875. I favor the apropriation of $100,000,000 requested and the adoption of the bill in its present simple form. I particularly favor the proposed authorization for the President of the United States to appoint a new and independent commission for the purpose of carrying out the intent of this bill. EXHIBIT 36 WILLIAM M. HOLMES, Bonwit Teller. Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., June 28, 1946. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: I understand they are to hold hearings on the PepperNeely bill July 1, 2, and 3. This is a bill for Government aid to try and stamp out cancer. Cancer is uncontrolled growth and considerable work has been done by the Rockefeller Institute and by others to try and discover some solution or secretion which will arrest this uncontrolled growth. There is a general feeling among us civilians and among the doctors, that cancer can be arrested, which amounts to a cure. That which makes a country great is not its lands or its wealth, but rather the people who really make the country. The United States should be solicitous of keeping alive all of its citizens and to protect them from disease, and the United States should not lag behind individuals and foundations which are trying to arrest this disease and to perpetuate human life. I hope and trust that the Congress of the United States, in their wisdom, will put through your bill promptly. You know that for years we have lagged behind Germany and other countries in research work of all kinds. It is now time we should take our place as the leader of research not only in cancer, but in a great many other matters such as drugs, dyes, metallurgy, etc. It is well known that we shipped over to Germany a great number of scientists to get the advantage of the research work carried on by the Germans before the war. Let us hope that this country shall take its proper place as a leader of the world in research of all kinds. Thanking you for your courtesy, I am, as ever, Yours, JOHN E. MACK. EXHIBIT 37 STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY N. MORTON MORRISON, PRESIDENT, GLASSFABRICS CORP... OF AMERICA, NEW YORK CITY; SECRETARY, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE CARE OF ADVANCED CANCER PATIENTS, INC., NEW YORK CITY; SECRETARY, SPONSORS OF GOVERNMENT ACTION AGAINST CANCER, NEW YORK CITY; ASSISTANT SECRETARY, NATIONAL CANCER FOUNDATION, NEW YORK CITY My interest is that of a private citizen without technical knowledge to pass on to this committee. Whatever I have to say comes from the heart, as it must from anyone who has had a tragic brush with this seemingly unconquerable malady. I just feel that not enough has been or is being done by a civilized and enlightened people in the way of a creditable fight against one of mankind's worst enemies. I am stunned by the apathy of a modern government-a Democratic government-which can get stirred up by the momentary tragedy of a flood, a fire, or an earthquake; which will arouse itself on reading about a polio or rabies epidemic which cause an infinitesimal amount of deaths compared to cancer, and still disregard this continuing national emergency that is sure to agonizingly tear the life out of 17,000,000 people in the United States of America alone. It seems to me that this problem is more pressing than the industrial strikes or any other threat that hangs over us. We can have confidence in the sound sense of legislators to handle our economic emergencies, to appropriate vast sums for power, or for the means for waging wars. These concerns are routine. But the well-being of so great a proportion of our citizenry as face annual attack by cancer should, to my mind, receive primary attention. I feel that it is scandalous to permit our self-sacrificing scientists to hack away at this problem of cancer, this universal killer, without knowing where the money will come from for next month's rent or food for their families. This is not an exaggerated picture. There are numerous instances of research activities being carried on by men who are forced to beg for funds to assure day-to-day continuance. When a doctor diagnoses a case as incurable cancer, he is paid for his services regardless of the results of the case, and the person who has this insufferable malady is left to die usually unattended and at home in untold and indescribable agony. The biochemist, physiologist, or other scientist who is trying to find a cure for cancer-or at least additional information or its cause or effect on various organs-when he runs up against a blank wall in his research-or even finds a clue from which to proceed further he must stop because he still has to make a living-even if it is an ashamedly meager one. We have harnessed nuclear energy. That is wonderful. I am proud, just as any other citizen feels proud, that our scientists could work this miracle. Now, I say, let us put aside a small percentage of the money used for that purpose to save our lives. Let us do it in much the same way as we attacked the mystery of the atom. Let us do this small thing. It is small in comparison to the great good that can ensue to every human being. Voting for this bill's enactment is like voting to arm the country against an invader. It differs only in the fact that the invasion is a fait accompli, and we need twice the effort and the arms to drive him out. Cancer is among us, has been for thousands of years; does that presuppose that no effort will dissipate the problem? I will not believe it-I refuse to even admit of such thinking. Cancer has succeeded, only because we have not-yet-engaged it in final and mortal combat. And until then-until-such time as we can muster the men, and materials, the know-how and the will to conquer, into such a supreme effort, can we really judge the ultimate victor. For the sake of children, as yet unborn; and of the living-full of hope and of courage, trusting the vision of their legislators, doctors, and scientists, we must, and I say, we can, conquer cancer. The will of the people, as expressed by its prominent leaders, demands affirmative, aggressive warfare. |