Evening star., 1949-09-24
Europe Receives News Legion Head Stresses
Of Atomic Blast With Need for Civil Defense
MIXED Hope and Fear After Russian Blast
By the Assoeio,sd Press

,FuACu IIVpC oIIu ICoI
BY the Asseeio.sd Pres.
LONDON, Sept. 24.-Europe re-
ceived the announcement that
Russia set of an atomic explo-
sion recently with mixed optimism
and apprehension today. Russia
sat tight and said nothing.
Some governments took the
news with a perceptible shudder-
others with a shrug and a show
of optimism.
Russia confined herself to press
warnings against spies within her
borders.
The British government said it
had expected other nations would
eventually develop atomic energy.
It added this probability had al
ways been taken into account.
Parliament Debate Sought.
There were indications an at
tempt will be made to inject the
atomic issue into the coming
emergency session Of Parliament,
called to hash out Britain's eco
nomic woes. It seemed unlikely,
however, the government would
take the subject up right now.
The Western press expressed be-
lief that the atomic blast might
ease Russian suspicious of Amer
ican power and bring the two ma
tions together as partners In es-
tablishing atomic controls.
At the same time the press made
no attempt to minimize the Sin
lister outlook" for the future un-
less such controls are established.
It emphasized, however. that
while Russia apparently has made
start" on the atomic bomb, the
United States still holds q long
lead in stockpiling.
Scientists and political leaders
in several countries indicated they
already had known about the Rus
sian atomic blast.
In Paris French Defense Minis
ter Paul Ramadier indicated that
more than one atomic explosion
which might have come from Rus
sia has been registered in France.
1T is not the first time that
suspected detonations have been
REGISTERED. notably in France" he
told a reporter.
Mr.. Ramadier did not say when
the latest explosion was recorded
or when previous explosions were
noted.
. Disturbance Noted July 10.
The seismological laboratory Of
Athens Observatory said an earth
disturbance Of great magnitude
occurred in Soviet Russia. near
Northern Afghanistan. on July 10.
A spokesman for the observa-
tory at Lund. Sweden, said its
seismograph had registered an
earth tremor September IA which
might have been caused by an
atomic explosion in Siberia.
Lund Is in Southern Sweden. "a
miles across the sound from Co.
penhagen.
In Rome. Pietro Nenni, leader
of the pro- Communist Italian So
cialists, said last night the explo-
sion occurred in Eastern Siberia"
Nenni returned recently from a
visit to Moscow. He did not indi-
cate whether he was speaking
from personal knowledge or hear
say.
A dispatch from Moscow last
night said that in the course Of
the past week the Soviet press has
issued repeated warnings against
foreign spies. urging vigilance
and yet more vigilance"
This was the first dispatch re-
ceived from Moscow since Mr..
Truman's statement. All Moscow
dispatches are subject to censor
ship.
German Reaction Mixed.
In war-ravaged Germany. reac-
ton was mixed. Berlin's Soviet
radio carried the an
without comment.
Prof. Otto Hahn, Nobel Prize
winner. said the news was good.
He recalled that during the last
war both sides refrained from
using poison gas, knowing each
side had it. He said it would be
the same way with atomic bombs.
If both the United States and
Russia have it there will be no
war" Prof. Hahn said.
At the Vatican q spokesman for
Pope Plus XII recalled the ap-
peal the pontin made to scientists
more than . year ago to turn
their weapons Of brute force"
into instruments Of peace.
Swedish Premier Tage Erlanger
expressed surprise at the news
and called for effective interna-
tional control Of atomic energy.
A spokesman for the Italian
Defense Ministry said the an
nouncement was no surprise
to him.
I'VE have never entertained any
illusions that Russia would not
produce the atomic bomb he said.
Canada Hopes Soviet A-Bomb
Will Spur Search for Peace
OTTAWA, Ont, Sept. "a. (R.-
Canada hopes Russian possession
OF an atomic weapon will SPUR the