The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-11-22
ET#W FIElAL ID DANlSkH Of AN
ENEMY ATOM BOMB ATTACKS
Behind The
World News
NJ WALTER. BREEDE. JR-
Associated Press Writer

Just how real is the danger Of
81 enemy atom bomb attack?
The American people have been
subjected in recent weeks to an
incessant barrage of warnings
and alarms on that unpleasant
topic.
There has been talk of moving
TIE capital away from Washing
ton-beyond reach of any atom
carrying enemy submarine or
plane.
Congress Is being asked to hold
pnblic hearings on a plan OF CT
william defense-a plan of defense
aealnst atomic bombing raids
And there's no letup in the
neFsisient clamor for complete
decentralization of our industries
for breaking up our big indus
trial centers like Pittsburgh and
Detroit and scattering our indus
tfies across the land, where they
VIII longer form convenient atom
targets.
The need for more adequate
,1sfenee against atomic bombings
has been underScored repeatedly
- men high in the Truman adj
ainistration and high in the coln-
ciis IL the Pentagon. Warnings
aarr been sounded by members
ID she Joint Congressional Com
ua.fire on Atomic Energy, headed
~ Senator Brien Mcmahon. But
laag there IS a dissenting voice
right n that same committee
senator Edwin Johnson OF Colo
gaao saws there will not be any
af..mlr nttack-the odds are one
n|IIion 10 one against it--at least
n enc next 20 years. It's mat
gef ~ simple logic. says Johnson
- he says. we have so many
karr atomic bombs than any 9TH
- nation now. that it would be
n,ln suicide for any power to at
lspt even a sneak attack.
whats more. explains the SEN
alar. a Is also widely known that
n,f urrsent atomic bombs are
more than six times as powerful
ana deadly as the first two drop
r..l en- Japan. and even more hor-
1|hIe improvements are in the
meklnR
Unfortunately, Johnson has not
,nld "a what he bases his opinions
-. A q member of the Senate
Hause Atomic Committee, he has
hnd access 10 the same confiden-
la information as other commit
tfe figures who have been telling
- 10 move the capital out OF
Washington and bury our fac
Tories under the ground. Johnson,
4 may be pointed out, has long
record Of disagreeing with his
fellow committee members and
with the heads of the Federal
Atomic Energy Commission, from
Chairman Lilienthal on down.
Nevertheless, his views merit
consideration. II would be very
pleasant 10 believe that we are in
absolutely no danger of Atomic
afiack-that the chances are one
mllli0n 10 one against an, enemy
dropping even one atomic bomb
81 any part of the United States
IL the f0tesceable future.S
There have been other reassur-
lne announcements on this sub
Sort. One highly-quoted atomic
dspcrs ventures the opinion that
ihe predicted downfall of West
en- civilization is old wives talk.
a. says cur civilization is not at
all Ia danger of being wiped out
~ the atomic bomb or any other
wcapon.
81 maybe we can sit back andl
rsiax 4 little while. On his arrival
is New York City yesterday,
British Field Marshall Viscount
Montgomery. Military Chairman
- the Western European Defense
Alliance, was asked if he saw
any Immediate danger of Euro
pean war Replied Montgomery,
eith a grin:
"if there were any immediate
danger, ! wouldn't be here, would
q"