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TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS lqloqqfij:’j Off@ of the District Administrator Marshalls District In repl Severaltimes in recentninths, I have requestedassistmce in understandingrottersconcernedwith radiationand in explaining these matters to the people of ou islands. I recentlyrequested assistancealso duringthe United Nation’sMissionvisit and duclng the visit of a United States CongressCommitteeunder the leadershipof Patsy Mink. ~ these occasiorisyour Nevada Operations Office has generouslyprovidedassistanceby having hr. Roger Ray travel to the N&shells. Mr. Ray has ~ined credibilityfor himself and for ERDA by being willing to go whereverwe had a need, to listen to the people’squestionsand concernsand to patientlyexplain ERM’s actionswhich are so inportantto them. Duringhis visit in mid Novenber,Mr. Ray has advisedme of the plans which youP staff is m.ldng for met~ here h the Marshallsto certainlywelco~ that visit and make every effort to have representativesof both atolls availablefor the discussions. I woul urge, too, that after we have agreementon the future of the prmgam, your representativeswould try to visit Utirik and Rongelapto explain it first-handto the people. I am informedalso that YOU are planning for etiensivestudiesregard the presence of plutoniumin the urine of the people at Bikini. That problem and the people+s apprehensionabout it has become a matter of great concerm to me. I have asked P&. Ray to please arm.ngefor an early visit h B~ to explainwhat it may man to the health of the people and to desc~ibein advance the kind of tests and studies which you plan to carry out. I understandthat this may includethe collectionof a large quantit of urine, perhaps fYom almst the entire population,and over a pefiod of time. Such programwill require carefulexplanationand BEST AVAILABLE COPY t,
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be glad to assist W p~ for it. Again let me expressw appreciationfor your suppotiand for BEST AVAILABLE COPY