The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-09-28
Politicians Job to Outlaw A-Wo-UN
Scientists Erase Doubts Controls Are Pathological

Lake Success, N. Y, Sept. 28- (UP-Scientists of 12 United Ma tions released an unprecedented do- cunent today which said in effect that the task of outlawing atomic warfare was strictly a job for the worlds politicians.
 The document for the most part erased all doubts that world control of atomic energy is technologically possible.
 In blue print for the guardians of world peace, the scientists warn ed that diversion of atomic products for military purposes became easier with each progressive step in their manufacture.
 Concrete Recommendation Made
 Diversion of nuclear fuel is much easier than diversion of raw ore, they said.
 The document made only one concrete recommendation
 "The maintenance and strength ening of the international commun- ity of scientists, the free exchange of scientific information and an in- creaS1ng aWareneSS among all scien- tiStS of one another's research &C., tiVities would assist in making less likely the application of research talent to clandestine activities"
 The document was 22-page re- port of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commissions scientific and technical committee. It represented the first small vestige of unanimous agreement yet achieved by the Unit ed States, Russia, Britain and the nine other nations on the conMnis- sion on the subject of international control of atomic power.
 Control of Mines Vital
 The scientists agreed that the basis of the available data-adnit- tedly incomplete and subject to fu- ture developmentS-the sureSt and easiest way to prevent the clandes- tine manufacture of atomic weapons would be to establish control at the initial source of atomic power-the mines containing deposits of uran- iurn and thoriuan ore, the raw ma- terial for atomic fisSion.
 e"Adequate safeguards" at hte mines, the report said, probably could prevent any diversion of ato- mic raw materials to warlike uses.
 It added that safeguards could be applied with steadily increasing dif- ficulty, at each of the next three stages of atomic development-the extraction and production of uran- ium and thorium compounds, the production of metal for insertion in "reactors" and the production of the actual atomic fuels-Uranium 233 and 235 and Plutonium 239.
 As regards diversion" the Scien- lists emphasized, fit may be ob- served generally that the later the stage at which diversion (to illegal production of atomic power) occurs, the more immediate is the danger arising from it"
 Warn Against Seizures of Facilities
 The later the stage of develop n1ent at which the process of clam deStirle operations begin, the report explained, the Hess time and fewer pld1loo que 1lCSCoodlJ O pIOQuCc atomic weapons.
 The report cited too the danger of outright seizure of atomic fuels and facilities by agents aiming at atomic weapons-making, pointing out that again the danger depended upon whether the seizure took place at the mines or at the later stages in atomic development.
 The report estimated that the cur rent annual world supply of uran- ium and thorium, approximately l. 900 tons, was enough for as many as $500 or as few as 70 atomic bombs depending upon the still-Secret quantity of nuclear fuel necessary for a single bomb.
 All that is known about that fact is that the bomb turned out by the United States requires more than two and less than 100 kilograms of nuclear fuel.
 The scientists tried hard to avoid arriving at any conclusions, the principal objective of the commit tee being to obtain unanimous agree ment rather than sensational scientific report.