Evening star., 1949-11-12
Soviet Atom Claims
Seen New Venture in
Peace Propaganda
By Howard W. BIokesIee and
WiIIiom 1. Ryon
Associated Press stoff Writers

taken a bold step into new field
But the venture does not stand ul
we'll under critical examination
unless Russian scientists know fal
more than those In the United
States know, or have told.
For months the Russian propa'
ganda drive has centered abou
the theme that the Soviet Unior
alone among the big powers, i!
the champion Of world peace.
Now, with general acceptance o.
the report that the Soviet Unior
has an atom bomb, the pattern ha.
developed further. It pictures
Russia, alone among the big pow
ers. as using atomic energy strictly
for peacetime projects.
Unless the Russians have 9
much vaster knowledge of atomic
energy and its uses than any sci.
entists in the West, the latest
Russian" pronouncements on the
atom-from Lake Success, from
East Germany and from Moscow
must be looked upon primarily
as a propaganda maneuver.
AS propaganda, the Communist
pronouncements fall into the ia.
miliar pattern.
Vishinsky Elaborated Story.
The keynote first was sounded
last week in the Communis.-con-
trolled press of Eastern Germany
The story was that the Soviet
Union was blasting away noun
tains and diverting rivers and Gre
ating a great channel where once
there was nothing but wasteland
This was picked up and elabo-
rated on before the United Ma.
tions at Lake Success by Soviet
Foreign Minister A. Y. Vishinsky
Russia, he said, uses the power OF
the atom to move mountains, tc
irrigate deserts, to cut through
jungles and Arctic wastes, tc
spread happiness and prosperity.
It may be significant that Mr.
Vishinsky's speech was an un-
scheduled one. It might have
been the result of a sudden
decision-or a sudden word from
Moscow. It also may be significant
that Mr.. Vishinsky. when asked
by reporters to tell where the
Soviet Union was making this
use Of atomic energy, replied:
Il can't say. because I am not
informed. I only know about it
in general way"
Even while he spoke these
words, Pravda, the Soviet Com
munist Party paper and bell
wether Of the Communist press
throughout the world, expressed
the same theme: Russia is using
atomic power to advance man.
kind. while the West is using II
for international power politics
This Is the way Soviet prop
aganda campaigns develop: The
keynote and then the choruses
throughout the Communist prop
aganda channels OF the world.
Statements Examined.
Let's examine the statements
OF the Soviet foreign minister and
the Communist press:
l. Atomic explosive Is among
the most expensive commodities In
the world. To use it for BLASTING
would be like using gold powder
not that cost is any object with
the Russians in the field Of atom
competition.
2. If atomic explosive were used
IN special circumstances for such
purposes. the ground would De-
come radioactive and this condi.
ton would persist for years, with
annoying hazards always present
3. A river diverted through an
atomic cut would carry large
quantities Of radioactive mater
ials. dispensing them widely al
the risk of much harm. Nobody
knows today just what these risks
would entail.
4. One atom bomb, so far a.
the published facts in the United
States indicate. could not do more
than make a small dent in 9
mountain. How many would be
needed to topple a mountain OF
blast a channel is not known
The bomb which exploded in New
Mexico in 1945. 100 feet above
ground, made a shallow saucer II
the earth II feet deep at the
center. If the bomb were buried
in rock it would blow a create,
crater, but not particularly great
er than that which would be
made by burying 10000 tons OF
TINT. That much TINT Is the
equivalent Of an atom bomb ex-
plosion.
Aim to Picture Peace Intent.
II the Russians have solved
these problems, they have made
discoveries unknown or secret In
the United States. # they have
made cheap atomic explosions
possible, they have made discov-
cries in production methods un-
known In the United States.
As a development in the Soviet
campaign to picture the Russians
as the sole champions Of peace,
the statements on atomic energy
would be calculated to have an
effect similar to the recent Com
munist inspired peace con-
crosses" like those held in New
York, Paris, Moscow and elSe-
where.
When Moscow calls the tune
Communists elsewhere in the
world dance to it. This was 80
when Communists In many
capitals proclaimed their willing