Evening star., 1949-09-24
Reds Won't Catch Up, Expert Says
Continued From First Page.)
dent regarding the atomic situa-
ton in Russia is in prospect.

dent regarding the atomic situa-
ton in Russia is in prospect.
Mr.. Truman's statement, which
did not say specifically that Rus
sia has produced an atomic bomb
in announcing evidence" of an
atomic explosion there, left nu-
merous questions unanswered.
Experts generally said the ex-
plosion in Russia definitely was
that of an automic weapon, and
not an accidental blast. It was the
Soviet's first. so far as officials
here know.
There's no question about it"
said one high security official who
did not want to be quoted by
name. 1T was an atomic bomb.
But so far as we know Russia has
made only one bomb. They'll
never catch up with u.s."
The manner in which the Pres
ident learned of the Russian de-
velopment was top secret.
Result of Teamwork.
One official said it was a mira
Gle of intelligence" Another said
hundreds of persons" and nu-
merous agencies in this country
Britain and Canada were involved
1T was teamwork" he added
''The methods and sources of the
discovery are a deep dark secret
I. wasn't dramatic. 1t was plain
old grind. The evidence
wasn't seismographic, and it is
complete"
The Rev. Edward Powers, s. J..
q Georgetown University expert
on earthquakes, had speculated
that earthquake-recording instru-
ments could have detected the ex-
plosion under certain conditions
There also are secret radiation
detection instruments.
Exactly when and where the
Russian explosion occurred was
not disclosed by Mr.. Truman or
any other officials here.
Scientists in Sweden reported
picking up an earth tremor Sep
tember II that might have been
an atomic blast in Siberia. The
New York Daily News said in a
Rome dispatch that Western Off
cials have known about the Rus
sian bomb for nine weeks. and
that the explosion was in the
Caucasus.
Pietro Nenni, pro-Communist
leader of the Italian Socialist
party, back in Rome from a trip
to Moscow, said the bomb was
exploded in Siberia.
Gen. Bradley Plays Golf.
Effect of the development on
Russian foreign policy also was a
matter for speculation here. 1t
was pointed out that producing
one atomic bomb does not mater
tally change the overall military
situation for the Soviet. But off,
cials could only guess as to
whether the Russians now would
become tougher or more concilia-
tory in their foreign policy.
Gen. Omar Bradley, chairman
of the United States Joint Chiefs
of Staff, showed how calm he was
about the situation by playing golf
yesterday afternoon. He advised:
The calmer the American
people take this matter the better.
We have anticipated it for four
years and it calls fore no change
in our defense plan"
Eisenhower Not Worried.
Gen. Eisenhower likewise was
unrufled by the announcement.
He said: II see no reason why a
development that was anticipated
years ago should cause any revo-
lutionary change in our thinking
or our actions"
A similar comment came from
1t. Gen. Leslie r. Groves, formerly
in charge of American research
/ natomic bomb development. Il
am not losing any sleep over it,
he said of yesterdays announce
ment. ANY one with intelligence
assumed that they (the Russians)
would arrive at It,"
Secretary Of State Acheson, at
q news conference in New York,
put emphasis on the Presidents
statement that this Government
always had taken into account
that sooner or later the Russians
would be able to make an atomic