Evening star., 1945-10-05
Hail Trumun's S PIeo to
Outlaw Atom Bomb

Ouu0W Atom bomb
There Appears to Be No Question
Of Sharing Secret, Says Writer
By David laurence
President Truman has, with COM
mendable courage, asked ths world to
outlaw the atomic bomb a. q weapon
Of warfare.
This position, which might be inter-
preted Is an acknowledgment that the
bomb should not have been used TO kill
noncombatants, is significant Of 1 mora
humane approach to the subject than
evidently was the case during the war
that has just ended.
The Presidents exact words are worth
reproducing:
The hope Of civilization lies In In.
sernational arrangements looking, II
possible, TO the remuneration of the use
ana development of the atomic bomb
ana directing and encouraging the use
OF atomic energy and all future scien-
tific information toward peaceful and
humanitarian ends"
Mr. Truman invites discussion with
other governments to see what arrange.
ments can be worked out. He does not
say the United States will share the
secret with other powers. He takes It
Tor granted that other nations will of
their own accord, discover the yay. ana
means OF using atomic power. He de.
clares:
scientific opinion appears to be prac.
ucally unanimous that the essential
theoretical knowledge upon. which the
discovery Is based is already widely
known. There is also substantial agree.
ment that foreign research can coma
abreast OF our present theoretical
knowledge in time"
What to Do With Power.
There would appear to be, therefore.
no question about sharing the secret or
accelerattng the misuse of atomic now,
er but rather q question OF what ma.
ions shan do with atomic power once
they md the way to produce 1t.
Mr. Irumans fortnight declaration.
IN Wnlch he uses the phrase "renunci.
a1ion OF the use and development OF
the atomic bomb" is hopeful sign that
omcaal Washington realizes the spot, in
which the United States has been
paced oy the use of the bomb to kill
noncombatants in Japan.
The traditional position of the United
states has long been opposed to ths
bombing OF noncombatant men. women
ana children. The recent declarations
oy military men that almost AZ much
destruction was caused by oa,r s,,n.r.
1oatresses Is an indication that, whils
military targets were aimed At. there
was none too careful consideration given
70 Wnat was or what was not a nilttarv
installation. Precision bombing. which
early IN the war was proclaimed a.
humane because 1t was acconn,isb.d
with ptn-point accuracy. was u,nn,..
mented IN the case OF Japan by warn.
!nss Is to the cities that were to be
bombed. But no warning was given thu
noncomoatants In Hiroshima or Nara.
SAX that atomic bombs were to be used
Inc President has been advised that
the decision as to international control
OF the bomb cannot be lone noxtno,..s
He says:
discussion Of the international prob
iem cannot be safely delayed until thu
united Nations, organization is fune.
.lonins and In position adequately to
deal with It," :"
Significant Confession.
inis is significant confession, II
could mean that the secret might hs
discovered by some small nation which
might wish to use it against neiehbors,
~ could mean that some nations amor.
the major group might discover the
secret and begin to use It As 4 forcs
oenind Its diplomacy. It could mean
aiso tnat the United Nations oreaniza.
sion may be a long time getting started
o' setting the prestige and inf,uenc.
necessary to persuade all its members
70 refrain from using the atomic ho,nh
what 1t surely means, however IN
any event is that the President 5..1.
the United States. having used the
oomo, cannot afford to wait any longer
oeiore getting solemn pledge from All
nations that the bomb will be outlsved
apparently the United States il reaav
70 make such commitment and civ.
up any possible use of the weapon n
others would do likewise. This question
oompieteiy overshadows the sharing Of
the secret with other powers,
once all nations have given vatis-
factory guarantees against the us. =,
.ne atomic bomb as q weapon. there
Is no good reason for giving the in.
formation. For then atomic power be-
comes matter of commercial .usav.
ana presumably each nation will spend
It's own funds for the development Of
tne sources from which atomic power
70 be obtained and manufactured
Reproduction Rishts Reserved.)
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