Evening star., 1947-12-04
Until There Is Real Control

DEVELOPMENT of the atom for both peace
full and military purposes is still largely IN
its infancy. That is why the United States
Is undertaking such projects as the con-
struction of a great, closely guarded prov
ing ground on isolated EniWetok In the
Pacific. Man has just begun to explore
the dark but beckoning frontier of nuclear
fission. Only the first discoveries have
been made. There will be others. Chair
man Lilienthal of our Atomic Energy Com
mission has used conservative figures In
declaring that eff this country really
means business then within the next
several years" 1t will increase its present
investment OF $2,5OO,OO0,0oO in this field
to total of about S. 600 100000.
For it is fact, as Mr. Liliehthal declared
the other day to the American Society OF
Mechanical Engineers, that our atomic
plants at Oak Ridge, Hanford and else
where were erected in the greatest OF
haste; it is obvious that they are not the
last word, that great improvements are
not only possible but essential. The bombs
thus far detonated are the very first prod
ucts. You know as engineers that the f1rst
output Is almost certainly not the apex;
II this were true it would be the first time
In technical history that such was the
case" These are circumspect but hint
laden words. They explain why 1t is that
the Acc "is in the midst of large-scale
program of expansion of facilities and
major new developmental projects, lnclud-
ing work to produce Aweapons Of better
design and more lethal efficiency.
Mr.. Lilienthals remarks become partlc-
| ularly meaningful when read in relation to
theFprognosticati made by the famous
and highly authoritati tive Snyth report. Re-
leased Just after Hiroshima, the report said
this: GAS to the future . =. 1t is reasonably
certain that there will be Improvements
both in the processes of producing f1ssion-
able material and In Its use. 1t is con-
cevable that totally different methods may
be discovered for converting matter into
energy, since it is to be remembered that
the energy released in uranium f1sslon
corresponds to the utilization of only about
tenth of one per cent of its mass.
Should scheme be devised for converting
to energy as much as few per cent OF the
matter of some common material, civiliza-
ton would have the means to commit
suicide at will" Moreover, on the same
day Mr.. Lilienthal addressed the ASME,
the Smyth "prognostication" received addi-
tional emphasis at Cooper Union in New
York, where Professor John A. Wheeler
of Princeton, one of the worlds foremost
nuclear physicists, spoke of strong evidence
Indicating the possibility of producing
bomb so per cent more powerful than the
one that leveled Hiroshima.
In view of this outlook, 1t is easy to
understand why we are building proving
ground on Eniwetok and why Mr.. Lilien-
thai advocates continuing heavy invest
ment in the atom. Until the world estab-
fishes an effective system OF control, the
United States-for the sake Of its own sur
vival-will have to make every effort to
remain pre-eminent with It's A-bombs,
kindred weapons like radioactive gases,
and the potential use OF nuclear power for
propulsion and industry. That is the Aces
primary task at this time When and ii
we have collective global security, what
are we now doing-our peaceful and mill
tary atomic projects are virtually insepara-
ble-undoubtedly will benefit all mankind
Meanwhile, lacking a universal policing
agreement, we have no choice but to serve
our own safety by striving unremittingly
to keep ahead in the field.