Evening star., 1947-07-11
HickenIooper Denies
Unwarranted Use OF
Stolen Atomic Data
By the Asseejeied Press

OlSHSt bNuStHuuS - ~HS
BY the Asseeieisd Press
Chairman Hickenlooper OF the
joint Congressional Committee on
Atomic Energy says that after
checking and double checking" he
10 satisfied that no unwarranted use
was made OF secret atomic informa-
ton taken from the Los Alamos
IN. Mex installation last year.
The Justice Department has an
nounced that action will be taken
against two Army sergeants from
whom the missing information was
recovered.
Senator Hickenlooper also told
news conference late yesterday that
he can say with certainty" and ION
the highest authority. that no
material or facts of any substan-
tial importance" are missing from
the big atomic plant at Oak Ridge,
Tenn.
The New York Sun had reported
Wednesday that unknown agents
had stolen several highly secret
flles from the Tennessee installation.
Truman Gives Assurances.
President Truman yesterday added
his voice to onicial assurances that
the whole story Of the documents
stolen at Los Alamos was told by
Senator Hickenlooper in the Senate
Wednesday. The President said the
Senator had explained the situa-
ton clearly and fully.
Senator Hickenlooper again gave
his assurance that atomic energy
secrets still are safe at news con
ference following a closed session
of the joint committee with Rear
Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter, head
Of the Central Intelligence Group.
The Senator said the meeting with
Admiral Hillenkoetter had been ar
ranged for some times and amount
ed only to a routine dicussion of
the relationship between the Intel
ngence Group and the Atomic En-
ergy Commission.
THE revelations Of yesterday did
not enter into the discussions at
all" he said. They were's brought
up"
Security Program Increased.
Senator Hickenlooper told report
ers that he is satisfied that the in
formation taken from Los Alsmos
did not get into the hands Of any
one who could use 1t against this
Nations interests.
A reporter asked whether he
knew If any foreign agents are in
this country trying to dig out in
formation on atomic flssion. Sen
ator Hickenlooper said he had no
knowledge of the extent of spying
activities, but assumed. as an in
dividual, that lots of people would
like to acquire all available informa-
ton on atomic energy.
The chairman said that security
precautions are greater now than
when the Civilian Atomic Energy
Commission took over from the
Army's Manhattan District the first
of the year. He added that the
security program is being increased
rather than diminished. The prob
lem is under constant study, he
said, observing that there is no such
thing as perfect security"
Russia Issues Denial.
Meanwhile the Russian Embassy
issued a statement ofi1cially denying
reports which 1t said accused
Soviet agents Of seeking to steal
atomic bomb secrets in this country.
The statement follows:
"On June 81. the magazine Liberty
carried an article in which 1t was
stated as If the wife OF one Of the
employees OF the factory for manu-
featuring Of atomic energy were on
the staff Of the Embassy In Wash
ington.
"A like statement appeared in an
article by Edward Nellor. a CORES
pondent of the New York Sun on
July Q, who also stated that some Of
the Soviet agents had been seeking
to steal atomic secrets.
I'm connection with this the
Soviet Embassy officially states that
oAAScC 1SPN 70 niC SoAAlH0CUCly 1dAoC
and have no grounds whatsoever"
Full Military Control Urged.
In the Liberty Magazine article
Chairman Thomas Of the House I'm
Americ Activities Committee
urged that atomic bomb production
and research be placed under full
military control. He said that "in
their efforts to pry loose informa-
ton. Communists make every effort
to use the cluster of associations
set up by the atomic scientists
themselves"
III a Washington dispatch, Mr..
Nellor said individuals known to
be of questionable loyalty and even
those with close kin who are Com
munist Party members are working
q Oak Ridge"
Mr.. Nellor's dispatch added that
"the wife Of one employe is on the
stan Of the Soviet Embassy here in
Washington.
British Tighten Security
Over Atomic Research
LONDON. .July II lP-Britai,