The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-04

UCUWWY NUHNAuAAtWGka VA9hAAANSNNh N Project
 Washington, April 4--(NEA) )--The fear of military domination" in the future development of atomic ener- gy in the United States has now been played up to such an extent that the whole issue is In danger of being distorted in the public mind
 This fear of the military is based on number of misconceptions.
 One is the belief that wartime security regulations governing the conduct of research on the bomb would be continued on all research on peace-tirne applications of atom ic energy,
 This is not the case. Under a Presidential directive the Manhat- tan Engineer District is continuing wartime restrictions on the publica- ton of limited amounts of scientific Information about the release Of atomic energy only until such time aS Congress passes law that will determine what the policy of our government is to be. When this law is passed and the new Atomic Energy Commission is created, Man. hattan District will turn over all its records and its responsibility, It will then be the function of the commission to determine what fur ther information can be released and what should remain classified,
 The Manhattan District could not make public all its information on atomic energy before this law was passed because 1t did not have the authority to do so, also 1t considered such general release violation of public policy. As a matter of fact, what authority they did have may have been stretched to the limit in permitting the Slnyth report to be published. That report was re- leased after obtaining advice and counsel from the leading scientists on the project.
 QUOTES PATTERSON
 Another frequently repeated Hnls- statement is that the armed services wish to continue in control of the atomic bomb project and all peace- time applications of atomic energy, Wrong again.
 As the Secretary of War, Judge Robert P. Patterson has said: Tt is obvious that only by a vigorous program of fundamental research under a separate civilian agen- cy can We hope to advance ade- quately the usefulness of this new science. Continued control by the War Department over the entire field will not advance fully the de- velopment of its peace-time uses, for 1t is not the primary mission of the War Department to do so."
 Note that the Secretary has speci- fled, under a separate civilian agency" That clearly takes the whole subject out of the field of fu- ture control by the armed services
 But carrying this second misstate- Fnent one step farther, 1t has been charged that the War Department may be giving lip service to civilian control, but 1t is trying to exercise indirect control over that civilian commission. Let's examine that.
 What has been recommended Is that in any legislation passed by Congress for the future control of atomic energy, provision should be made for direct participation by the War and Navy Departments in any military applications of atomic en- ergy. Is that unreasonable2 The War and Navy Departments are charged with responsibility for na- tional defense. The Army and Navy will have to use the bomb in case. there should be another war. The Army and Navy will have to fight off any enemy which might use the bomb against the United States.
 It is my sincere belief that the armed services in their field would aid greatly the development of the science of atomic fiSsion. Atomic engines developed to drive battle ships or submarines will later find use in driving ocean liners. Atom ic power and heat plants developed | for remote military outposts will ind later uses in developing com mercially areas now remote from centers of civilization.