Evening star., 1949-09-26
Report on Acc Inquiry
Rewritten as Result .
Of Soviet Atom Blast
BY the Asseeiofad Rrass

VI JVvlCI HIVlII DIo9I
BY the A..eeiatsd Press
A proposed report by Senate
House Committee on its Atomic
Energy Commission investigation
was being rewritten today in the
light Of the Russian atomic ex-
plosion.
Chairman Mcmahon of the
Joint Atomic Committee con-
firmed that the first draft had
been handed back to staff men,
bers for revision.
He said changes probably will
be made in a section dealing with
security measures the commission
has taken to preserve A-bomb
secrets. He wouldn't comment
further.
Complaints that the commission
hadn't taken enough precautions
to guard against leaks that might
put information in the hands OF
the Communists formed one Of the
principal grounds for charges by
Senator Hickenlooper. Republican,
OF Iowa, that led to the inquiry.
The IoWan accused the Acc and
its chairman, David E. Lilienthal,
OF incredible mismanagement."
There are indications any report
that finally get the approval of
the congressional committee will
say that Senator Hickenlooper
overshot the mark with the "in-
credible mismanagement" charge.
There is a sharp division of
opinion within the committee on
the commissions handling Of its
affairs. But almost no member ex-
cept Hickenlooper seems to be-
lieve that mismanagement ever
reached the incredible" stage.
Senator Mcmahon, who directed
drafting OF the preliminary report
by the committee staff, is said to
feel that there is ground for stren-
uous criticism of some of the
AEC'c actions.
Hickenlooper Has Some Support.
But Senator Mcmahon appar-
emily would like to see the COM
mittee find that the Acc Is doing
a pretty good job. He pointed out
that the program is moving right
along now after slowing to a crawl
after the war ended. The Acc
said the postwar slump was caused
by an exodus Of scientists and
other workers from the project.
However. Senator Hickenlooper
has support for his contentious
that the job could have been done
better.
For instance, Senator Vanden-
berg, Republican. Of Michigan, is
said to believe that Senator Hick-
enlooper went to far In his
charges. But apparently the Mich
igan Senator thinks thai it was a
good thing for the country that
the investigation was held.
Senator Vandenberg said in the
beginning he couldn't agree with
the commissions attitude that
there was no need of an FBI in
veStigation to learn whether per-
sons given Acc fellowships for
study In non-secret fields were
Communists or fellow travellers.
The commission channed that
situation as q result of Congres-
sional prodding.
Senator Vandenberg was said
to feel that other important
changes In commission methods
have been made which probably
would not have been ordered if
the Senate-House Committee
hadn't held its inquiry.
Senator Knowland, Republican.
OF California, another committee
member, was said to agree with the
Vandenberg viewpoint.
Thus any final report backed by
a substantial majority of commit
teemen is likely to contain some
praise and some criticism of the
commission and Chairman Lilien-
thai.
There seems little likelihood that
Mr.. Lilienthal's hackers could get
even a bare majority Of the 49,
member group to sign q roprt that
was almost wholly favorable to
the Acc.
II they did, strong minority
report probably would contain
much sitter criticism of the Acc
than would be the case if most Of
the members agreed to q compro-
mise version and left it to Senator
Hickenlooper and possibly q couple
of other members to make the
minority report.