Evening star., 1949-01-10
210 Million Requested
For Atomic Weapons;
Increase Over '48
BY the Associoted Press

IL IleSluSIll truman DuQSeL is
an index, the United States either
is going to make more atom bombs
next year or the cost has gone up
The Presidents budget sent to
Congress today contained an item
of S21O O,208,875 for atomic weapons.
This is an increase over the present
year of Sl8915,037, or $63 1893, ,O7s
for the previous fiscal year.
The recommended outlay for pro-
duction of atomic weapons during
the year beginning July was out
of total of s740,00O,OO0 appropria
ton for the Atomic Energy Com
mission. The figure for the current
year was about s5l1,850,000.
The tests of three atomic weapons
at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific
last spring demonstrated important
advances in military applications of
atomic energy" Mr.. Truman told
Congress.
More Research Needed.
Then, looking toward another
phase of military use of power from
nuclear fisSion, the President wrote :
The development of electrical
and propulsive power from atomic
energy is major objective. Before
the technical feasibility of power
applications can be demonstrated,
more research and development will
be required in the field of nuclear
reactorS.
Problems of nuclear propulsion
of ships and aircraft are part of
this research. The commission is
intensifying its work in this i'm
portant field"
The commission announced on
December 20 the awarding of a
contract to the Westinghouse Elec-
trio Corp. for construction of an eX-
perimental atom power plant for
propulsion of a Navy ship.
Ship Was Logical Choice
From the very outset of atomic
energy development, scientists have
assumed that the first feasible nu-
clear-poWered vehicle would be a
ship. The reasons for this assump-
ton are several:
l. A ship, because of its size
would be better than a train, auto
mobile or airplane for the mount
ing of the extremely heavy atomic
pile reactOr which produces heat to
run an engine.
2. Safe disposal of the highly
dangerous radioactive ash" from a
nuclear reactor would be less of a
problem on a ship than on land.
3. The use of atom power wouold
impart to warship almost unlim-
tied cruising range, without the
necessity of putting in to a port for
refueling-a feature of particular
military value in a submarine.
Cost of Bombs Not Revealed.
While the weight of an atomic
power plant. including the enorm-
ouSly heavy protective shields to stop
dangerous radiation, runs into tens
of thousands of tons, naval de-
signers contend there still would be
a net saving in shipboard installa-
ton. The total weight would be
less than that of conventional en-
gines. together with tons of fuel oil
needed to operate them. And sub
stantial saving in space could be
and thus made available
for additional armament or other
equipment.
Because the number of bombs
now made or scheduled for produc-
tion is as top secret as the design of
the bomb itself. neither the Presi-
dent nor the Atomic Energy Com
gave any clue as to the cost
of individual bombs.
The cost of the first atomic bomb,
exploded in wartime test in New
is a matter of record-a
mere $2,0O0,0O0,O0O This however,
was the so-called development
COST" That covered all the millions
spent in the whole atomic project.
Since then there has been specula-
tion about the cost of A-bombs as
turned out with regular operating
system. The speculation has been
mere unofficial guessing, including,
among other figures, someone's idea
that perhaps the production cost
had been lowered to about $1,000,-
600 per bomb.
Mr.. Truman noted that the first
great contribution of atomic energy
to peacetime welfare" has been
made with distribution of isotopes
for research in medicine, biology
and the physical sciences.
e. nls DlI c1l