第3巻第2章 国の内外で
私は,(アインシュタイン推薦のリストをもとに)東西両陣営の科学者のリストを作成した。そして,世界政府推進の(英国の)国会議員たちとローマに行く直前に,それらの科学者たちにその声明(文)(注:ラッセル・アインシュタイン宣言)を同封し手紙を送った。もちろん,アインシュタインにも同意を得るために同じ声明(文)を送った。しかし,彼がそれについてどう考えるかまだ返事がなく,また,快く(進んで)署名してくれるかどうかも聞いていなかった。私たち一行が,ローマから世界政府協会の次の集会が開かれることになっていたパリに飛行機で向かっていた時,その機内でアインシュタイン逝去のニュースが,機長によってアナウンスされた。私は,身も心も打ち砕かれたように感じた。それは,彼を失った悲しみという明白な理由からだけではなく,また,彼の支持なくしては計画が失敗(頓挫)することを理解していたからであった。しかし,私がパリのホテルに到着すると,署名に同意するというアインシュタインからの手紙が届いているのを発見した。これは,彼の公的な生涯での最後の仕事の一つとなった。 |
v.3,chap.2: At home and abroad Meantime, as I assessed the response that my broadcast had achieved and considered what should be done next, I had realised that the point that I must concentrate upon was the need of co-operation among nations. It had occurred to me that it might be possible to formulate a statement that a number of very well-known and respected scientists of both capitalist and communist ideologies would be willing to sign calling for further joint action. Before taking any measures, however, I had written to Einstein to learn what he thought of such a plan. He had replied with enthusiasm, but had said that, because he was not well and could hardly keep up with present commitments, he himself could do nothing to help beyond sending me the names of various scientists who, he thought, would be sympathetic. He had begged me, nevertheless, to carry out my idea and to formulate the statement myself. This I had done, basing the statement upon my Christmas broadcast, 'Man's Peril'. I had drawn up a list of scientists of both East and West and had written to them, enclosing the statement, shortly before I went to Rome with the Parliamentarians. I had, of course, sent the statement to Einstein for his approval, but had not yet heard what he thought of it and whether he would be willing to sign it. As we flew from Rome to Paris, where the World Government Association were to hold further meetings, the pilot announced the news of Einstein's death. I felt shattered, not only for the obvious reasons, but because I saw my plan falling through without his support. But, on my arrival at my Paris hotel, I found a letter from him agreeing to sign. This was one of the last acts of his public life. |