Evening star., 1948-05-08
NewCharge Of Politics
Made by Mcmahon in
Li|ienthaI Dispute

Li|ienthaI Dispute
A new cry of politics" threw
fresh fuel today into the heated
Senate controversy over Director
David E. Lilienthal and his col
leagues on the Atomic Energy
Commission.
Senator Mcmahon, Democrat, of
Connecticut, author of the law
which created the commission, said
political motives" prompted Sem
ate move to renew the commission
ers' terms for only % mopths-in-
stead Of the one to five years laid
down by the Atomic Energy Act.
President Truman has renomi-
mated Mr.. Lilienthal for a five-year
period and other commission men,
bers for staggered terms. But
Republican-backed bill would amend
the law to extend present terms only
to June 30 1850.
Senator McMahon served notice
at a news conference yesterday he
will fight any such change.
Called Horrible Mistake"
He said the bills supporters are
pulling the atomic energy program
into politics and he called their pro-
posal "a horrible mistake"
First opposition to the full terms
came last week from Senator Taft
of Ohio, one of the leading Repub-
lican presidential hopefuls. He said
there might be new President next
year who should be allowed to
choose his own Atomic Commission.
Senator Taft, who led a bitter
fight against Mr.. Lilienthal's con-
flrmation last year, has said he
would be willing to settle for the
23-month compromise offered by
Chairman Hickenlooper of the Sen
ate-House Atomic Energy Commit
tee and Senator johnson, Democrat.
of Colorado.
That proposal also has the back
ing Of Senate President Vandenberg,
who with Senator Hickenlooper
helped stage last years successful
battle for Mr. 'Lilienthal.
Senator Mcmahon, q member of
the Senate Housing atomic group,
said the bills supporters made an
attack on the Atomic Energy Act
for political reasons and then we
are asked to back away because 1t
might cause a fight"
Lilienthals Record Praised.
He said Mr.. Lilienthal and his
colleagues have done a good job
and that should be the only issue.
He added that atomic scientists he
has canvassed oppose the 23-month
plan by about to l.
Senator Hickenlooper-who earlier
had said his mail from scientists
and others, favored the shorter ex-
tension by to 1-denied any
political motives in the bill.
This bill merely extends the COM
MISSIONS present terms for one year
and II months" he said, after
which, If it is found satisfactory,
the staggered terms will go into
effect.
"All who understand the bill know
it is not political And the atomic
energy program has not been
dragged into politics"
The bill is due for consideration
next week before the Senate House
committee.
Senator Mcmahon said he already
has received 40 messages from the
experts in reply to a large number
of kilograms of inquiry which he
had sent out.
He said only five or six looked
with favor on the compromise pro-
posal for two-year term for all
the members of the commission and
that was for the purpose of avoid
ing fight over the issue.
The messages came from persons
employed on the project and from
members of advisory boards and
committees.
Among the messages announced
by Senator Mcmahon was one from
DR.. Enrico Fermi, the scientist who
directed the first successful expert
ment in controlled nuclear f1ssion at
Chicago late in 1912. Dr. Fermi
telegraphed:
Il believe that lack of conflrma-
ton of Lilienthal would seriously
disrupt atomic project. The COM
mission has acted energetically to
improve status of work and has
gained confidence of majority Of
scientists"
Excerpts From Statements.
The following excerpts are from
other messages:
From the Executive Committee Of
the Association Of Los Alamos Sci
entists: 1--WE wish to express deep
concern over proposed notifications
Of Atomic Energy Act of 1916 in re-
gard to the terms of commissioners
appointment. Because no lack Of
confidence in present commissioners
has been expressed. failure to re-
affirm their appointments can be
interpreted only as political ma
neuver intended TO supply patronage
to the incoming administration"
John r. Loofbourow, chairman of
the Advisory Board on Acc Con-
tractor Relationships: Early last
year the uncertainties in
troduced by delay in confirming the
commissioners led to widespread
and unfortunate loss of morale. The
board found 1t necessary to spend
considerable time in persuading
contractors that they might look
forward to operation to consistent
policies and reasonable stability of
top management. 1t should be en-
phasized that loss of morale as re-
suit of uncertainty can be extremely