The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-19
Observations
Custody Of Atom
Bomb A Very
Ticklish Task
Nv HELEN ESSARY
By HELEN EssARY

Owning the atom bomb is as
soothing as holding q stick OF dyna'
mite In the bare band.
So you gathered as you listened
10 the testimony scientists and
War Department officials gave be-
fore the Military Affairs Commit
tee OF the House. The theme song
OF the hearing ran like this:
We've got this frightful inyen-
ton. We've perfected II. We've
proved its deadly power. Now
what do we do with it?'
I'VE do not want TO be keeper OF
the atom bomb" said the War De-
partment. I'VE refuse to take the
responsibility for something that
NAV eventually blow up the world.
I'VE won't take the RESPONSE
bIlity for the use OF this monster
we have created" said the scient-
lists. There is too much evil, too
much power in the thing for us TO
handle without government con-
troll"
Then who will take the RESPONSE
bflityl... Who? A commission OF
nine men, supermen. good, kind,
Trustworthy, enobled creatures who
will never be tempted TO use the
bomb for anything but sweetness
and progress-except OF course In
the case OF the enemy. What
enemy?. This depends OF course
IN the way things work out.
And who will appoint the COM
mission? Why the President, ma
turally -. What President? -.
President Trumani
Republican members OF the Mill
tary Affair. Committee grew agi-
tated. After all Truman is DEM
ocrat. II soon became evident that
there wero party lines even in the
consideration OF an atom bomb.
ARRANGEMENTS went back and forth.
II would not be fair to shut Con-
sress out OF all control Of the
bomb. You could not do that 10
Congress. Oh, yes, you could.
You had to do that to Congress
said Mai. Gen. Leslie r. Groves,
the man who directed the Manhat-
tan project, and DR.. Vannevar
Bush, director Of the Office OF Sci
entifc research. skip Congress"
they agreed.
"And remember" said the gen.
eral and the scientists, you can not
ever tell a soul about what the
bomb is made of. Not one soul.
Or we will all be destroyed to-
gether, some day soon"
How many thousands OF souls
know about the bomb already? l
wondered, but did not inquire out
loud. 1t is childish to think such
q secret can be kept long.
And what a grim joke the bomb
a on oversmart human beings.
We have invented something so
big, so wicked, so relentless we
are afraid even to touch the thing.
Why no. seal It up in the bottom
of the sea?
"The committee members do not
seem scared enough" | said TO
General Groves as he left for the
lunch recess.
you are right. They are not
scared enough. Nobody is scared
enough. But" and he paused for q
solemn moment, they had better
be scared. Everybody had better
be scared"
CAPITOLONIANA: WON ms
voices and women's laughter from
behini the Senate Office door mark
ed Oceanic Canals. .Humph!
What goes on there! -. Something
pretty and young, in ladies' lunch
con dress, hurried up. "Oh. dear.
/ hope / am not going to be late.
Senator Stewards wife is having
party for the wife OF the governor
of Tennessee"
BEFORE THE SENATE DINING
ROOM-A drove OF men in uniform
twenty at least. Plus Mildred
Pepper, wife OF the Florida senator
-. 81 phoned them to send me a
few men who had been in prison
camps. I wanted to take them to
lunch. And look what got"
What she had got crowded up,
smiling and proud to be present.
Now W" are going sight SEEING"
said Mrs Pepper. hurriedly putting
back on her head the hat she had
taken or for "the pictures they
made "Come along, boys" The
boys obeved. In mass formation.
And Mildred Pepper disappeared
from view.