[VENEREAL DISEASE]: An unusual T.L.S. by eight individuals including H. G. Wells (1866-1946; English Writer of ...

[VENEREAL DISEASE]: An unusual T.L.S. by eight individuals including H. G. Wells (1866-1946; English Writer of Science Fiction novels), Bertrand Russell (1872-1970; British Philosopher, Mathematician and Historian, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1950), Julian Huxley (1887-1975; English Evolutionary Biologist), Norman Angell (1872-1967; British Lecturer, Journalist & Politician, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1933), Basil Peto (1862-1945; British Businessman and Unionist Politician), one page, 4to, Fitzroy Street, London, 13th December 1937, to the Editor of the News Chronicle, on the printed stationery of the National Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease. The letter states that in 1923 the report of the Trevethin Committee on Venereal Disease was published by the Ministry of Health and continues 'The findings of the Committee were definitely favourable to the policy of the education of the public in scientific methods of Prevention, but not only has nothing been done towards implementing them but this Society, the only organisation working for the diffusion of such knowledge, has met with unremitting hostility from certain quarters. We desire to bring to the notice of your readers a striking instance of this hostility. This Society is sponsoring a film entitled ''The Prince of Ignorance'' and application was made to the L.C.C. for authority to exhibit it in that body's area. This authority was granted subject to the excision of all reference to the possibility of Prevention, so that those seeing the film…..are not permitted to learn that these diseases can be prevented….This is, we suggest, a particularly harmful kind of censorship, and one entirely out of step with contemporary thought'. Countersigned by Robert Lyster (Chairman), Alva Benjamin (Honorary Treasurer) and Angus Grant (Honorary Secretary). The letter has been heavily annotated in pencil by an editor, evidently in preparation for newspaper publication, including his guidance as to the order in which the signatures should appear. Some light overall creasing and minor age wear, about VG