Evening star., 1949-06-05
Mcmahon Says Probe
May Lead 10 Decision
On A-Bomb Publicity
ByJ. A. O'Leory

1T has. Senator Mcmahon, Demo
crat, Of Connecticut, said yester
day.
Senator Mcmahon, chairman o
the Joint Congressional . Atomi,
Energy Committee, has been study
ing all arguments for and agains
stock pile publicity since February
when he made a speech in Detroit
on the subject.
The Senator indicated yester.
day that he still has not reached
a final conclusion, but when askec
by reporters If he thought tn,
question may be answered in thu
current investigation, he replied
Il believe this investigation will
give point and meaning to q speech
made in February in which
pointed out it would be impossible
to properly assess the conduct OF
the Atomic Energy Commission
affairs unless the Congress and the
American people had a pretty re-
liable idea of what our stockpile
of bombs Is.
Colleagues Also Study Problem.
Il also pointed out in the Feb
ruary speech that we must care.
fully weigh the benefits and any
military disadvantages that might
come from divulging this informa.
tion. I am continually making O
study Of both sides of the problem
and I know some Of my colleagues
are too."
Senator Hickenlooper. Repub.
lican. Of Iowa. whose charges oi
incredible mism q n a age m ent'
touched of the investigation
quickly made known last night he
does not want to go into the stock.
pile question.
IT don't think that is a safe area
for publicity" the Towan said.
He reiterated that he does moi
want to 60 into production or re.
search. but is seeking to conf1ne
his charges to the policies anc
administrative acts of the com.
mission during its more than two
years of operation under the
craftsmanship of David e. Lilien-
thai. His contention is that pro.
duction is CARED on by contract
ing companies. not by the com.
mission.
HandbiIl Called Propaganda.
AS the Joint Committee pre-
pared to resume public hearings
at 10:30 am. tomorrow In the
Senate Once Building, there
were these other developments:
/. Chairman Mcmahon agreed
that the charges of mismanage-
ment must be regarded as affect.
ing the five-man commission a,
a whole. and not Chairman Lilien-
thai alone. 4
2. Senator Hickeuleoper de.
scribed as. cutter and complete
propaganda" a handbill he sale
was circulated at the Oak Ridge
Tenn, atomic plant, consisting o.
a reprint Of President Truman''
recent defense Of Mr.. Lilientha
and the commission work.
The Iowa Senator told reporter.
he received one of the handbills ir
an anonymous letter which statec
that 1900 copies had been printed
at Oak Ridge at Government ex.
pense. Mr.. Truman had said ir
his statement that relatively trivial
items about the commissions work
"have been blown UP" and sug-
gested the atomic energy program
is being used for "pre-electior
campaigns"
Senator Hickenlooper empha-
sized he was not taking issue with
the Presidents remarks. but was
referring to the Oak Ridge hand
bill when he called it utter and
complete propaganda. printed nj
Government expense. about an in
vestigation still going on. and that
will undoubtedly produce facts
that are not trivial"
SCOTS at Politics Charges.
Pointing out that this is not an
election year. Senator Hicken-
looper said that II there was any
logic or justification for the sug-
gestion Of politics in the investi-
cation. there could never be an
investigation"
Senator Hickenlooper also indi-
Gated that he expects to have an
important statement to issue this
afternoon, but gave no intimation
of its nature.
In the two public hearings last
week, Senator Hickenlooper ex-
amined Mr.. Lilienthal chiefly
about turnover in commission per-
sonnel, and the commissions de-
cision to appoint q large number
of employees after an emergency
check Of FBI files without waiting
for q full investigation. Mr.
Lilienthal defended both the rate
of turnover and the necessity foI
the emergency method Of handling
the preliminary security check-ur
on employees. to avoid delays In
the program.
Senator Hickenlooper has moi
disclosed the issues he will delve
into at tomorrow's hearing. Sen.
ator Mcmahon indicated, how
ever, the commission may be in Q
position tomorrow to tell the COM
mittee how many Of the employe:
who were given emergency check.
ups at the time of appointment
during the past two-and-a-hali
years were found later, on full
investigation, to be undesirable
for commission work.
Senator Hickenlooper estimated
last night he may complete his In
terrogation Of witnesses In from
five to eight more meetings of the
committee. This was an ndica'