The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1948-10-14
|c. E. President
Makes End Visit
To Hanford Works

To Hanford Works
Making his second visit to Han
ford since General Electric took
over the vast atomic project on
September 1, 1916, Charles E..
Wilson, G.. E. president, this week
appraised the interest of his COM
pany in nuclear research as pa
triotism blended with a desire to
further scientific achievement.
General Electric looks upon its
work here not only as a patriotic
duty, but also as an opportunity
to make a further contribution to
the sciences, he declared. "In
addition, through its construction
and subsequent operation Of the
A. E. C.'s Knoll's atomic power
laboratory, the company hopes
to contribute to the development
of peacetime use of atomic power
which will ultimately benefit all
mankind.
The decision to assume re-
sponsibility for operation of Han
ford Works." Wilson continued,
twas reached only after thorough
consideration of all existing and
potential problems involved, and
Of the urgent nature of the re-
quest we received from the gov
eminent. The government stated
that, because of the research al
ready carried on in the nuclear
field by the G.. E. research lab
oratory, because Of our technical
staff and facilities, and because
of the company's natural interest
in power production, we were best
fitted, by interest as well as by
experience and ability, to carry
on the work.
Concerning his visit to Rich
land, the G. E. president said that
he is extremely interested in all
phases of the nucleonics depart
ment operation, which includes
RESPONSE ility for operation Of the
Atomic Energy Commissions vast
Hanford Works.
Immediately upon arriving for
his two-day series Of conferences,
Wilson met with Roy c. Muir, G.
E. vice president and general
manager of the company's nu-
cleonics department, and with
George r. Prout, whose appoint
ment as an assistant general man.
ager Of the nucleonics department,
effective November 1, he an
nounced.
Wilson's announcement Of
Prout's appointment also stated
that the latter would become gen
era1 manager Of the nucleonics de-
partment on January 1, 1949, sue
ceeding Muir, who will continue
to serve the department after
that date in the capacity of con-
sultant.
Wilson stated that their dis
cussions conferred around the inn
portant work General Electric is
carrying out here under the
contract his company has with the
U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
for the operation of the Hanford
Works.
r. S. Neblett, also an assistant
general manager of the nucleonics
department, attended the meet
ings. He left Richland Saturday
to establish his headquarters in
Schenectady, N. Y, where he will
be in charge of all Schenectady
operations of the G. E. nucleonics
department.
George R. Prout, G. E. vice
president, and presently general
manager of the company's air con-
ditioning department, arrived in
Richland earlier in the week, and
has been conducting series of
conferences with all supervisors
in the nucleonics department. He
stated that he adopted this meth
cd of familiarizing himself with
the new duties he will assume here
on November 1; that he considers
it essential that he become ac-
quainted with all members of the