Memorandum to the members of the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). The document discusses the negative effects of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) on the scientific community in America. The HUAC was created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having either fascist or communist ties. In 1947 President Truman signed Executive Order 9835, which established a loyalty program for federal employees designed to root out communist influence. In response to this controversial decision, as well as other anti-communist legislation being proposed, FAS created the Scientists' Committee on Loyalty Programs.

Beginning on page two, the document includes the message sent to President Truman and Governor Dewey from FAS, which discusses their concerns with the HUAC. The document ends with an editorial by Henry DeWolf Smyth (1898-1986) titled The Terrible Cost of Federal Secrecy.

The FAS is an American nonprofit global policy think tank with the stated intent of using science and scientific analysis to attempt to make the world more secure. FAS was founded in 1945 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. FAS was created to bring together scientists committed to "using science and technology to benefit humanity." They aimed to reduce nuclear weapon use, prevent nuclear terrorism, and reduce scientific misinformation. Presently, FAS has dedicated themselves to reducing threats from nuclear weapons, biological and chemical agents, climate change, and other contemporary issues.