Detroit evening times., 1945-10-10
PAUL
MALLON
behind
The News

WAoiiiiN"i OA>, oo"
w atomic bomb news in
creasingly concerns what 10 do
with II. Mr.. Trumans idea OF
commission development struck
Congress as just about right, If
a little late, for the domestic
end.
But the President tried TO
solve the verbose furore of
scientists and selfish politicians
about international disposal by
saying he wanted to negotiate
with foreign nations.
The Socialists want IL to be
socialized, and the worl d
with it.
One Worlders want TO make
one world state again because
of il.
The Communists, and even
some Americans, including at
least one of Mr.. Truman's cab
met members, want to give it
to Russia.
Every one wants to do with
il what he has already decided
is best for the world anyway.
The Republicans made II
known through their senatorial
objections they may even sus-
pect Truman wanted to keep
control OF the legislation too
much In the hands OF Demo-
Gratis.
EARLIER Director Eichel-
IL berger OF some group
called "The American Organi-
zation Of the United States"
wanted 10 pass II on to the
United Nations council, which
Mr.. Truman rather hinted he
wanted to do later through con-
sultation with the powers.
The disputants all have one
thing in common.
They assume we have a secret
which will soon get away from
us, and they all seem to feel the
situation is rather desperate-so
they want to do something des-
perate about RI.
This is the premise upon
which we are proposing to act,
but / cannot for the life of me,
understand the idea.
II Just does not seem reason
able to do something desperately
definite about a new scientific
theory which is still indefinite.
--.-------.-
THE best military authorities
l. l know-and there are none
better - tell me no military
establishment anywhere in the
world Is yet assuming the next
war will be fought with atom
bombs alone.
All can see definite limita-
tions on its use.
Indeed the scientists who dis
covered it do not yet know
either its limitations, possible
defences or anything except its
possibilities.
Why should we do something
desperate about a possibility?
Clearly the possibility must
be remote because the navy and
army expenditures are all pro-
posed on the same basis for the
future as now exists, and neces-
sarily so, because they. for one,
are not going to act drastically
on possibilities.
The next war may be fought
alone by directed missiles, which
would make planes, fleets and
even armies obsolete.
Mr.. Truman is not planning
a scrapping of these, but strong
maintenance.
Indeed, we have not yet de-
modified, which seems a rather
sensible precaution in view Of
the state of the world.
(Servicemen who naturally
want to get home, should read
the international news, follow
ing in the wake of the failure
to get peace treaties at London.)
MY POINT is we should not be
N1 guided politically by scien-
tific advice.
But more than this, why
should we surrender our hard
won advantage merely through
fear some one will get it in three
or five years as Churchill says?
We have head start. Our
intentions are honorable. We
know what we will do with it.
We do not know what others
may do.
But since we have conjured all
these desperate possibilities. is
it not just plain sense to find
out scientifically what we are
going TO do about them before
we do anything otherwise.
We need the defenses for IL
first.
This is a truly desperate need
all can plainly see.
No weapon has ever been dis
covered for which there was no
answer-an adequate answer.
No scientific discovery has
ever remained static.
Science is a continuously ex-
panding concept.
Consider what has been done
with radio since Marconi, wire
less. the crystal set, now loud
speaking, and pust ahead tele-
vision. .
1t has been the same with all
discoveries, electric
lig ts, telephones, airplanes,
gunpowder.
We have a head start on IL
now. Why do we not pllrsle