The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-26
Neutrons and Morons
These DayssHy f sso I" t. yozo1sR7

A commission Is to be appointed,
to serve for nine years, by the Pres
ident with the consent OF the Sen
ate. But not one word appears in
the bill TO indicate what the quail
flcatlons of the commissioners are
to be. Is he to be able to read re-
port on atomic energy? VIII he
understand a table OF yalences
when he sees one? Does he know
what causes the transmutation OF
uranium into plutonium7 Win he
grasp the meaning OF Elnstein's
hypothesis upon which this phase
OF science Is based? Could he ex-
plain the concepts OF matter and
energy? Nothin. is said as to his
preparation and background for the
job-not even that he be a graduate
OF a university with majors in sci
ehtitic suBJeCts'
Imagine Thomas Edison before
commission OF morons. whose only
qualification IS political orthodoxy.
to explain why his design for an
electric light is superior to the
Welsbach mantle. or Marconi or
Alexanderson or DeForest attempt
ing TO discuee radio in Its Early
phases with lame-duck congress
men. What progress would we
have made in sulpha or penicillin
therapy II license had to e is-
sued to those engaged in the dead
ly process OF experimentation with
the unknown, or, for that matter,
how could we have obtained alloys
or even plastlcs II the human mind
could not take a perilous leap in
the dark? Did Nine. Curie have
TO get a license to work with ra.
dium-at once a murderous and a
life-saving substance?
The bill gives the commission
"plenary supervision and control,
so far as the jurisdiction OF the
United States extends, over all
sources OF atomic energy" Who
in all this world knows today what
"all sources OF atomic energy" may
be? The best-known work has
been done with uranium, and that
made the headlines. But have
asked men who know what other
metals or any other substances.
even air or water or the rays OF
the sun. may. not In time become
available? And all / get Is who
knows?" who can tell?" But
Congress is legislating about all
sources OF atomic energyi"
Section 13 OF this act. Is particu-
larly vicious and. together with Sec
ton is. kills progress. II is in
these sections that all the high
sounding phrases OF the bill, thrown
in to satisfy political objections,
are vitiated. These sections kill
off scientific research, for the fines
run from $500 to $500 900 for the
violation Of the regulations promul-
gated by the commission, and furth-
err they include the words COM
municates or transmits" informa-
ton. data. documents. equipment
etc, which means that II a pro-
fessor lectures or works in his lab
oratory, he has to make sure that
every word he says. as well al
everything he uses, is covered
by the regulations. And II per
chance, as has happened In the
very business of producing the
bomb, he comes across something
like plutonium, which never exist
ed before and Is not covered by the
regulations, he had better throw Il
into the ashcan before the commits
sion sends him to jail for 80 years
and fines him 100000. which is
what the bill proyides-if he tells
anyone.
And for this sort OF nonsense, we
fought Hitler!
Copyright, 1945, for Daily Press