The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-05-01
The Atom Bomb Tests
(New York Times)


 There is some sentiment in Congress in favor of canceling or postponng indefinitely the already post poned atonc-bomb tests against warships in the Pacific. The President on March p ordered six wesks posponement of the first scheduled test on the ground that the date of May Is would interfere with the work of Congress since 120 Congressmen were planning to witness the tests Meanings beyond the reason read into this decision It was rumored the tests might never be held On March 29 Senator Huffman of Ohio introduced a resolution requesting their abandonment. the grounds that they would be costly, would prove little and would be an un- warranted display of martial spirit at inappropriate time. Senator Walsh, whose Naval Affairs Committee already had reported out bill authorizing the use of Navy ships the guinea pigs, suggested that it might be good idea to withdraw the bill from the Senate calendar and reconsider the whole matter Senator Lucas of Illinois concurred.
 We can see no valid reason why the two proposed tests-boh the projected air explosion and the under water explosion-should not be held as scheduled on July l. unless there is for further postpone ment because of Congressional business. The tests have little to do with the decision the further control of atomic energy for military The Mc Mahon bill and the Lilentha report quite adequately that facet of the problem. The tests in the Pacific would provide carfication of the of the atomic bomb military weapon and there are good reasons why that test should be made.
 The ships that will be used originally cost $425- 000O to build They not worth fraction of that now as scrap which is the only to which most of them now could be put II tnelr deStrucOn proves the vulnerability of surface ships to atomic bombs is discovered to indicate the necessity for radical re- design of naval vessels then it would be money well spent It might help to carify the current Navy-Ar controversy to whether naves and particularly the battleships of navies, obsolete
 From a strictly military po1nJ of view-which seems to be the only logical from which to assay the matterhe tests will certainly be useful There were no scientists in the when the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasak The test in New Mexico small scale The tests at Bkini Atoll should with scientific accuracy many of the still answered questions to the military effectiveness of the bomb
 We do not fellow the reasoning that the tests should be canceed because of possible international repercussons We think the results of the test might be sauary instead of contrarwise Foreign observers have been invited Evaluaton of the results presum ably will be made public, at least in part If the tests destructivey successful the atomic scientists believe they will be, they should be necessary re- hinder of the fearfulness of this weapon. They might stimulate intensive search for workable formula for international control The tests should be held. If the scientific preparations complete they should be held July thereafter as possible. The evidence have of the power that lies in the bomb the better will be for the world