Evening star., 1947-09-23

leaGerS OF opinion within the thousands of
communities of the country. There has never
been any good substitute for the all-around
common sense of an informed lay public. That
is just what is needed here.
But you can be barred from decisive voice
in these issues about atomic science, issues
so close to your life and your future You can
be kept out by your own default-by failing
to inform yourselves so that you will not be
able to be effective in the making of the great
decisions on the problems that atomic science
presents for determination.
There are many reasons why you need to
know and understand the basic facts of atomic
energy. But none is more pressing than this:
that it is those basic facts that determine
whether particular proposal for international
control is workable, one that in the language
of Secretary Marshall will remove the specter
of war of annhilation'
Now just what is it that you can do about
becoming informed?
Judgment of Right and Wrong.
Bear In mind what is needed is not know-
edge and judgment about scientific or enei-
neering matters-you don't have that and
couldn't take the time to acquire it of course.
The technical forces associated with the
Atomic Energy Commission can do that, But
the kind of judgment that am talking about
is OF quite a different sort-for example,
sense OF what things people will accept as right
and sensible and workable.
What is needed is sense about human rela-
tlons about standards of fairness about prin-
clples OF sef-government and of self education
These Judgments turn on the weight to be
given to concern for the individual as COM
pared to concern for the state The issues
call for the kind of over-all Judgment that is
summed up when your neighbor says: THAT
makes sense to me-
Nothing could weaken the security of our
country in the atomic field more quickly. nor
more surely slow up research in cancer control.
say, than to permit science and scientists to
be kicked around by the organized forces of
ignorance and demagoguery, and petty politics.
This sort OF thing is a real danger to our
scientific progress. There is only one real
protection against the harm selfish and ignor-
ant and fanatical men can do and that is an
informed public
There are many other broad issues where
your judgment will be essential, and your
interest vital. These might include such mat
tiers as the proposals for international control
OF atomic weapons the conditions under which
the present Government monopoly in this
field can safely be changed to private COM
petitive production; the share of the national
budget that should be devoted to scientific
research; the adequacy Of protection against
health hazards from radioactive materials in
the air and on the ground; the proper relation
Of civilian direction to the military, in this
field; what kind and size of Navy, Army and
Air Force we need in the light of DEVELOPMENTS
in scientific warfare: what sense the proposals
make that we 90 underground: the workability
OF decentralization of cities as a defense meas
ure; how rapidly atomic fuel may supplement
COAL oil and water power as a source of
electricity; the wisdom and worka ability Of
censorship of the press and radio as a means
OF maintaining secrecy in this field, under
peacetime conditions. Such a list of policy
issues could be extended almost indefinitely.
You need to watch your public servants, to
keep an eye on us, whether in the executive
branch, the military, or in Congress. And
to do SO effectively your views and judgments
must be based upon some knowledge of the
background of facts.
How can you acquire sufficient information
to make you effective? have some suggestions
to offer along this line.
For what technical information you need
try your nearby colleges or your local high
schools. AS for the public issues, there, too,
the colleges and the schools can assemble
and boil down the relevant facts for the use
Of your civic organizations.
Making Information Available.
The problem is chiefly one of getting non
secret information into form for your con-
sideration that will be clear, interesting and
without bias. And for this you can properly
expect great things of the press of the United
States, the radio and the magazines These,
together with motion pictures, constitute ore
Of the greatest educational forces In human
history.
It Is important that the facts and analyses
Of policies should come to you from variety
of sources not from only one, and above all
that they should not come solely from official
sources. This variety gives you a chance to
check one version against another and draw
your own conclusions
But try to keep this as close to home as
possible, when you come to your analysis and
your discussion of these things. Don't be
content to take, ideas that have been pre-
digested for you at some distant place. Put
this on the programs Of your Chamber of
Commerce, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
the unions, the Parent Teachers Association
Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and similar organiza-
tions the League of Women Voters. your Mont
gomery County Farm Bureau and All Clubs
the local veterans organizations, the business
and professional womens organization, the
bar association and county medical society
and 50 on.
These are your organizations. You can speak
your mind IN your own town.
Let me say this: Look upon this task Of
becoming familiar with the essentials Of
atomic energy as an obligation directly to
your children-and If there are grandchildren,
to your grandchildren; or to those nice. likable
youngsters next door. II schemers or fools or
rascals or hysterical stuffed shirts get this
thing out Of your hands-it may then be too
late to find out what 1t is ali about. Do this
for your children.
The Star