Evening star., 1949-06-19
kcMahonSeeks Veto
On Expenditures by
Atomic Commission
By IA. o'LeoH


A bill to curb the power Of the
Atomic Energy Commission In
starting new projects will be in
troduced in the Senate tomorrow
by Senator Mcmahon, Democrat,
Of Connecticut.
It would require the commission
to get approval of the Joint SEN
ate-House Atomic Energy Com
mittee, Of which Senator Nc
Mahon Is chairman. for any new
undertaking that Is to cost more
than 81 ,000. 900.
Senator McMahon said the bill
is not q result Of the current In
vestigation into charges Of "in-
credible mismanagement" made
against Commission Chairman
David z. Lilienthal by Senator
Hickenlooper. Republican. Of Iowa.
A subcommittee Of the Joint
congressional group recently ques-
toned the need for building q gas
pipeline into the Oak Ridge. Tenn.
atomic plant and Senator Hicken-
looper only two days ago attacked
the project as wasteful.
But Senator Mcmahon told re-
porters his bill was already In the
minds Of some committee mem
bers four or five months ago.
Discussion Of such o bill came
tn n head" he said. In connection
with the commissions plans to
build In Idaho q series OF reactors
atomic ovens-which Senator
McMahon estimated will cost In
excess Of $500. .000. 900.
Hearings Resume Tomorrow.
"The Joint Committee had con-
ferences with the commission
about the reactor program. and
I am satisfied 1t must proceed"
said Senator Mcmahon. How
ever, IL pointed out the fact that
had there been disagreement
about the matter, the committee
would have been without author
ity to act
The committee plans to resume
hearings ut 1890 am. tomorrow
on the Hickenlooper charges.
amid indications 1t will take two
weeks to finish public hearings.
Senator Hickenlooper may get
the remainder Of his testimony
In the record this week. After
that the commission will have an
opportunity to call witnesses to
present the affirmative side OF
what II has accomplished. Senator
Mcmahon said be Is hopeful the
commission can present its side
in three or four sessions, but en-
phasized he Is not putting q time
limit on the agency's case.
Personnel Files to Be Studied.
Allowing two more weeks for
public hearings. a third week will
be required to 60 over in closed
session the personnel security files
of more than a score of commits
sion employees Senator Hicken-
looper has asked the joint COM
mittee to review.
Senator Hickenlooper has en-
phasized he does not want to try
individual cases. but to show the
commissions methods In handling
personnel security matters.
The investigation may be over
by July 8, under this tentative
schedule. Presumably. the COM
mittee would then begin deliberat-
ing on report Of its findings.
In explaining the bill he plans.
to introduce tomorrow. Senator
McMahon declared that the re-
sponsibility Of his committee "is
so much greater than that Of an
ordinary committee that we must
have the power that goes with the
responsibility"
The Atomic Energy Act requires
the commission to keep the con-
gressional group currently and
fully informed Of its work. The
Mcmahon bill would go one more
step by writing into the law that
"the ACC shall not undertake
any new activity or new program
(the cost Of which exceeds one
million dollars) without first COM
ing into agreement with the Joint
committee with respect to the
terms of such undertaking."
"Since they (AEC members)
have the duty of fully and cur
rently informing US. 1t Is only
good sense that we have the power
to act on It," said Senator Nc
Mahon.
Senator Mcmahon said the joint
committee has not voted on the
proposed bill. but he has gained
the impression the other mem-
bers are for 1t. and he expressed
hope that Representative Durham.
Democrat. Of North Carolina
would sponsor the bill In the
House.
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