Evening star., 1945-09-27

small flrecracker by comparison.' -
Even now, he said, lit is possible to
drop or propel atomic charges into
our large cities so as conveniently
to kill millions Of unsuspecting in
habitants in one operation" For
this reason, he said, the most dan
gerous spots on earth are Washing
ton, New York, Chicago, Philadel-
phia, Detroit, Los Angeles and other
large American cities.
What does the Representative
propose in the light of this situa-
ton? He proposes to decentralize
our big cities and our big industries
and scatter the population so the
bombs will not have such "conven-
lent" targets. Also, he would pro-
vide underground shelters for both
people and factories. Thousands of
miles OF abandoned tunnels in the
coal mining regions of Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana
and the metal mines of Michigan,
Colorado and California might be
commandeered, he suggested. He
offered a bill to set up a commits
sion, with $500,0O0 for preliminary
expenses, to consider these matters.
Toledo Plans Decentralization.
It's q pretty tall order. Toledo,
Ohio, is contemplating its own de-
centralization, for reasons apart
from possible bombing. Toledo is
not one of our largest cities and
the scattering proposed is not on
the scale that Representative Arends
has in mind, but the time required
to carry it out is estimated at so
years. It would take longer for
New York or Chicago to do the
same, OF course. If, as feared, other
powers will be able to make the
atomic bomb within a few years, it
hardly seems worth while to start
scattering.
As for the rest Of the defense
plan, the prospect Of living in tun-
nels is not particularly pleasing
The life of a rat Is even less at
tractive than the life of a rabbit.
Apparently the only people not
left with a problem by the invention
OF the bomb are the people of Hiro-
shima and Nagasaki whom it oblit-
Grated. In England, Sir Stafford
Cripps, president of the Board OF
Trade, has indicated Britain does
not expect to share the bomb secret
with all major powers. At the same
time he has warned there must be
a world federation within 10 years
If civilization is not to be destroyed
by atomic power.
During those years." he said, 1--WE
must find a way whereby We can
settle world differences without
war"
World Federation Necessary.
Without knowing what Is in the
mirrds of President Truman and
Prime Minister Attlee, chief Gus
todians of the secret, it seems clear
they must come to the same conclu-
sion as Sir Stafford. A world feder-
alton Is the only alternative to some
such absurd and ignominious plan as
that proposed by Representative
Arends.
Why we should wait 10 years to
bring this about, however, is not
clear. Most estimates of the time
other nations will need to become
masters of the bomb secret and
possessed of the facilities for making
1t do not exceed six years. Some sa!
two years. The horrors of war, in
Guiding this special new horror, art
fresh in our minds and still spreae
before our eyes. We want no more
of it. There is way, not yet tried
for putting an end to it. Sir Stat
ford Cripps has named it-a worl'
federation.
The idea Is not repugnant u
President Truman. Before the frs
atomic bomb was dropped from tn
skies, but not before he knew of it
existence, he said this to his neigh
bors in Kansas City:
"It will be just as easy for ma
tions to get, along in republic O
the world as 1t is for us to ge