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FACULTY STATEMENT ON SOVIET VISITORS
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If the enclosed Associated Press story accurately reflects Stanford
policy, πe would like to urge upon the university administration a
more moderate and balanced policy with respect to visitors from
the Soviet Union.

The story gives the impression that Stanford takes an
attitude of total opposition towards the Government's efforts to restrict
technology transfer to the Soviet Union.  Moreover, this attitude seems to
be supported by a number of untrue statements, namely, (1) The Soviets are
ahead of the U.S. in robotics.  (2) Robotics has no military applications.
(3) There are no possible restrictions on Soviet visitors that won't
disrupt the functioning of the University.

Consider the following not-so-hypothetical implication of the story:
that when the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco reported on the situation
to Moscow, this report probably reinforced the idea in Moscow that
American protests about Poland, Afghanistan, Sakharov,
Scharansky, etc. were a governmental sham
without any support in the institutions of the country such as
universities.

We believe that Stanford should adopt a policy toward Soviet
visitors that balances the following considerations:
@begin(enumerate)
           Preserving the orderly functioning of the academic processes of
research, publication and teaching and avoiding the creation of a security
atmosphere.

	   Showing the visitors a society more open than their own.

           Minimizing transfer of militarily useful technology so as to
minimize our own defense costs; perhaps we can help obviate the need for a
return to the draft.  Ways of implementing this without security measures
need study.

           Increasing reciprocity so that access to Soviet research
becomes available to Americans to the same extent that our research
activities are accessible to them.  This involves some degree of support
to the bargaining efforts on our behalf conducted by the State Department
and the National Academy of Sciences.

           Maintaining good relations with the State Department, the
Defense Department and other Government agencies.
@end(enumerate)

	Since these goals are not entirely compatible, some degree of
compromise is needed.

        As scholars   who have interchanges with Soviet scientists
and who occasionally visit Soviet universities and institutes, we are
particularly affected by item 4.  Our access to ideas and laboratories
is always severely limited - for example, by the Soviet law that foreigners
can only be given already published information unless there
is special permission.
A certain reciprocity that demonstrates that
we understand what is happening to us and will not tolerate it is
indicated.
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        We recognize that Stanford is an open institution. But with care
and planning, we can affect what Soviet visitors see. Stanford, of
course, as an institution, cannot control what people say, but people
who are concerned can be careful about what they say. We realize that
many in the Stanford community are not concerned as we are, but the
university policy should be evenhanded and neutral as regards this concern.

	We suggest that a committee be appointed to develop a policy.  If
an interim statement clarifying the impression given by the Stanford press
release could be made, it might help mitigate the unfortunate signals that
may have been sent to Moscow.