Evening star., 1947-02-14
LiIienthuI Issue Laid
ToFeur and Suspicion
Opposition to Atomic Appointes
Mounts Due to New Deal Ideas
Bp David Laurence

By David Laurence
More than meets the eye is involved
in the attitudes and statements Of men,
bers of the Senate with respect to the
confirmation of David E. Lilienthal to
be chairman Of the Atomic Energy Com
mission.
The issue is one of simple fear and
suspicion. The argument made by SEN
ator Mcclellan of Tennessee that Mr..
Lilienthal, in his conduct OF the Ten
nessee Valley Authority for the Govern
ment. was not as severe as he might
have been with respect to Communists
in the iva can only mean that there
is suspicion about Mr.. Lilienthal's pos
sible sympathies.
But the men who know Mr. Lilien-
thal-Secretary Of War Patterson, Ber-
nard M. Baruch and others, especially
in the Senate-do not doubt for one
moment his loyalty either to democracy
or to his own Government. The idea that
Mr.. Lilenthal could harbor any friend
lier thoughts for some other government
than his own is absurd on its face. He is
much too valued public servant and
too well known in public life for such
charges to gain any currency 1t Is
regrettable that any such implication
has been made.
But the opposition to Mr.. Lilienthal
Is rapidly mounting and on grounds OF
a different sort. The truth is Mr.. Lilien-
thai is believer in New Deal philosophy
and was the New Deals agent in swal
lowing up Wendell Wilkes power COM
pany in Tennessee. Mr.. Willkie always
conceded Mr.. Lilienthal's ability, though
he questioned his propaganda in behalf
of public ownership.
Public Ownership Ideas.
The background of controversy that
surrounds Mr.. Llienthal relates more
to his ideas on public ownership than on
communism. Few people realize what
atomic energy could mean as compet-
itor of electricity and existing power
facilities. Would such man in public
Office be able to serve the people best or
would it be better to have some one who
is more objective on the public power
question?
This is one of the queries that per-
haps may have arisen so as to line up
opponents to the confirmation. Mr..
Lilienthal, of course, will have with
him other members of the commission,
but he has strong personality and the
Senators who oppose him imply that
Mr.. Lilenthal will dominate the COM
mission If he is confirmed.
This is not to say that all Of the oppo-
sition springs from the belief that the
entire power system of the country will
be transformed into a huge IVA with
atomic power as its chief energy. but
simply that some of the controversy
undoubtedly comes from those sources
which fear the effect on private invest
ments of another IVA in atomic uses.
There are other Senators, of course,
who have no feeling one way or the
other about Mr.. Lilienthal, and really
don't know much about him, who are
saying that when such an important
post is involved-one that could con-
ceivably affect the safety of the United
States, if not its very life-the appoint-
ment should -o virtually unanimous
and there should be no doubts or hesi-
tant attitudes.
knowledge and Ability.
The difficulty about this is that few
men are competent to deal with the
atomic question. Mi Lilienthals report
and recommendations on international
control of atomic energy have been so
penetrating that what he wrote became
the American delegations position at
the United Nations debate on atomic
energy control. Mr.. Lilienthal's knowl-
edge and ability would undoubtedly be
an asset to the Government. But,
again, which is more important-that
public opinion shall be satisfied and
some one else equally competent be
chosen or that Mr. Lilienthal be given
the chance to prove himself?
This correspondent long ago suggested
that 1t was mistake to have any Fed
ersl officials, including cabinet officers,
serve for longer than one year. This
would mean that every year the Senate
could pass judgment on whether the
officials are doing their jobs satisfac-
torily. If such system were in effect,
there would be little hesitation about
confirming Mr.. Lilienthal, for it would
be obvious that in one year the Senate
would have an opportunity to observe
whether the new commission was misus-
ing its powers. After all, there are four
other members of the commission and
they are likely to be vigilant in pro-
tecting the people against any misuse
Of the Atomic Energy Commissions
authority by any one.
If Congress we're to pass general
statute requiring all appointive officers
to come up for confirmation periodically,
there would be more efficiency in Gov
ernment and less controversy about the
appointees when they come up for their
first test.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)
Impossible Achievement