Evening star., 1947-02-19
Higinbofham Answers
Ham Actor CHARGES
In Atomic Research

william A. Higinbotham, execu-
tive secretary Of the Federation Of
American Scientists, spoke up to-
day in defense of atomic researchers
who were attacked yesterday by the
librarian of Congress as "a bunch
Of ham actors" panicking the public
with predictions that civilization will
destroy itself.
Mr.. Higinbotham indicated he
thought the atomic scientists had
done more than "so-called political
scientists" to help the world cope
with the bomb.
DR.. Luther Evans. the librarian,
had made his charge before a
meeting of the National Committee
on Atomic Information here. He
said the scientists had used hell
fire and damnation approach" at
tempting to convince the public
that unless world government"
were established within two or three
years it would be the end of the
world.
Calls Scientists Amateurs.
They did so, he said, because of
their "abysmal ignorance" of po-
litical problems.
DR.. Evans declared world govern
ment is inconceivable at present;
that the chance of survival lies in
the gradual working out of an in
ternational understanding in the
next generation or So
He described. the scientists as
amateurs who have contributed
little except confusion" He said
they have SO scared the public with
apocalyptic predictions that the mass
mind is now frozen with horror,
Incapable of functioning intelligently.
Mr.. Higinbotham denied American
scientists, as group, had ever come
out for world government or any,
thing like it.
1--WE are inclined to agree, today,
that this fear business has perhaps
been overdone, or at least done
enough" he said. But in the
beginning, after the first bomb was
dropped. we felt we were dealing
with public inertia of understand
ing which had to be countered
People simply had to be made to
understand the danger.
Cites Nonsense" Rumors.
"They were being told only three
people knew the secret of the bomb
and that therefore this secret could
be kept-Which was definitely false.
They heard that Bing Crosbys
brother had invented a defense
against atomic attack This was the
kind of nonsense we felt had to be
combatted"
Mr.. Higinbotham said he COM
pletely disagreed with a statement
of DR.. Evans to the effect that the
average man Immediately under
stood the implications of what hap
pened at Hiroshima.
From having looked at opinion
polls in the last year." Mr.. Higin-
botham said. lit certainly is my
impression that there has been a
considerable change in public under
standing about the bomb. This is
due in large part to the educational
campaign waged by the scientists,
individually and as group"
DIR. Hawkins Gives Talk.
DR.. Evans speech yesterday was
made before morning session of
the Information Committee at the
Hotel Statler. Later, at luncheon,
the group heard DR.. David Hawkins,
historian of the Los Alamos IN.
Mex0 project, point ous the necessity
for including the atoms construc-
tive as we'll as destructive possibil-
tiles in any atomic educational cam
palgn.
Against the proper background"
he said, I'VE can talk about destruc-
ton all We want without doing the
public psychological harm. I don't
think We should minimize it or play,
il, down"
The committee rounded out its
quest for the best methods of public
education about the bomb with an
afternoon seminar on the use of
various educational media, such as
the press, the library, the radio, mo-
ton picture films and university
extension courses.
The committee, headed by Dr.
Ralph Mcdonald of the National Ed
ucation Association, acts as a clear
ing house for the distribution of
atomic information to about IS