The Wilmington morning star., 1946-09-15
Letter Box
APATHY AND THE ATOM

To The Editor:
1t can be scientifically asserted
that the discovery of the means of
releasing the energy of the atom
is the most momentous discovery
that was ever made. 1t is a dis
covery which will ultimately take
over most of the work that man
has been accustomed to do by the
sweat of his brow. On the other
hand it is a discovery by which
man can utterly destroy himself
and all civilization. There has been
no exaggeration of the direful
power which the released energy
of the atom can exercise. And yet
in the presence of these world
transforming, scientifically ascer
tanned facts there exists an ap-
palling apathy.
This would be Understandable
if this danger were in the future
and remote. 1t is battling wher it
is definitely and scientifically
known that worldwide collapse
and ruin are imminent and certain,
unless something is done and done
quickly. There is not a moment
to be lost. America already has
the sinister secret of the atom.
Russia will have it tomorrow, and
all the world will have it Gay
after tomorrow. And yet it is said
tina people are bored with atomic
energy" and prefer not to be an
noyed by the mention of it. Under
such circumstances, "to be bored
is to be damned" is the timely
comment of an able and brilliant
American editor. Furthermore, to
be bored is not only irrational but
immoral. What is the intelligence
of planning a future when there
can't be any future, if mankind
is merely bored by the approach
of disaster? What is the morality
of bringing children into a world
in which the fires of desolation
and death are starting, soon to be-
come a world conflagration, if
nothing is done except to be bored
by the prospect? What is the sense
of living, if life is to be a bored
rendezvous with inescarable ex-
tinction? 1t can be relied upon
as a certainty that to be bored
will not be so popular a pastime
in that saving day which must
come, when it fill be respectable
e things as they are and to be
intelligent rather than to be bored.
There r two things which the
average man or woman can do to
defect this appalling atomic dan
ger. One is to be informed, intel
hgent and articulate. Pass the
word along. that there may be an
awakening to the immediate dan
ger. The other is to have definite
conviction as to what must be
speedily done to avert the danger.
and to carry that conviction 10
friends and neighbors. The world
must be educated as to the reali-
ties of Jul situation, and the time
is short. Only one solution mas
been proposed. The same brains
that discovered the secret of The
release of atomic energy, the same
scientists, have given il as their
considered judgment that world
control Of atomic energy. prefer
ably within the United Nations Or
g%anization, is the only thing that
can prevent world disc ster, and
that such world authority must
be set up as to make that control
exclusive, effective and absolute
responsible citizen owes Il
his country and to himself tn
promote this idea of world control,
And don't waste any time with
hose who are so archaic in their
'hlnklng as to want to talk about
rational sovereignty at this critical
moment. National sovereignty TO
as a nation. pleases has caused
most of the wars that have aff;ct
d manknd, and has been com
'letely ~discredited by past and
'urrent events.
This idea of world control can
'revail only through Worldwide |,