The Nome nugget., 1947-07-07
Monday, July 27, 1947
Saving On The Worlds Atomic Nerves
(The Denver Post)

(The Denver POSt)
 THERE IS A MEASURE of grim hurnOr in the report of Father Bernard Hubbard the noted Glacier Priest that Russia had atomic energy plant but blew up Tn an accidental explosion year ago Father Hubbard dryy remarked that of the Soviet scientists evi- dently forgot the decimal point.
 This observation Russias technical backwardness parallels the crack made by Physicist Robert Oppen- heimer in interview last winter. Dr. Oppenheimer one of the markers of Americas atom bomb, said we could give the Russians out atomic secrets and they would only be confused"
 But such observations lose their humon when we re- fleet upon the yearlong record of disagreement on plans for international control of atomic energy port from Lake Success Monday last Monday stated that the United Nations has virtually given up all hope of writing atomic treaty before the general assembly meets in September.
 The sticking point is Russian insistence upon pact immediately banning the atomic bomb and upon the setting up of controls under the final authority of the security council in which Rnssa could exercise her veto In other words, the Kremln wants us to disarm chemically and share knowledge without assurance that the control authority will have full power to detect and punish violations Despite seeming concessions on Russias part, this basic conflict remains
 The United States deputy the U. N atomic energy commission has bluny called the Russian plan "a fraud the peoples of the word and that is what it would be. It would provide atom control only in name. It would lack the essential safeguards proposed year ago by Bernard Barcuch and since accepted by ten of the twelve nations represented on the U. N commission.
 Such then is the progress" which has been made toward control of the atom It is in this context that may readhe report of Father Hubbard that Russia has actually discovered the secret of uneashing the power of the atom The priest says he learned of the Russian discovery during world tour in which, how he did not actually visit RussiaBut take it from me, the source of my information is authoritative'
 Despite the trustworthiness of Father Hubbard, we may be given to minimize the value of third-hand re- port Still tie it in with other reports such as the given last March by German atomic scientist who said he had escaped" from laboratory in Moscow where the Russians were sweating blood day and night penetrate the of the atom The German predicted the Soviets were very near-wthin three to five years"-to creation of an atomic bomb.
 Tothese reports must be added the belief rumored in Washington that the Russians will announce this fall they have atomic bob-'whether or not they actu- ally do"
 All this against the deadlock in efforts toward inter- national control of the atom points to mounting war of We may expect rumors and authoritative reports with increasing frequency months stretch by without world agreement to outlaw atomic warfare
 To Russia the value of such nerve-sawng may be ob- vious It could be calculated strategy to panic the world into accepting atomic control her terms But it would be dangerous game Mir Stalin for the world ,,;ohf in, co1f-dofenSn