Evening star., 1949-12-06
New Public Attitude
Needed on Approach
To Atomic Energy
'sLiIienthoI Believes U. S.
Should Turn Peucetime
Uses Over to Industry

6utSuNu0t SStSNSS ~ -
Should Turn Peocetime
Uses Over to Industry
By David Laurence
The United States Government
should end its monopoly of atomic
energy and turn peacetime uses
over to private industry to develop
and apply, as is the case with any
other basic technology.
This is the considered view Of
David Lilienthal, retiring chair
man Of the Atomic Energy Com
mission, who expressed it for the
first time in a copyrighted inter-
view published this week by "U. S.
News & World Report"
What Mr.. Lilienthal says will
make a profound impression on
the industrial world, which has
long awaited some Qualification of
the issue of military uses as sep
arated from commercial applica-
ton Of atomic energy.
Exact Words Significant.
Mr.. Lilienthal says it is just as
absurd for the Government to
maintain . monopoly hereafter
for atomic energy as 1t would
have been for the Government to
have assumed a monopoly when
the automobile or the airplane
was invented. The fact that an
invention can be used for military
purposes does not mean, he
argues, that 1t should be withheld
from private development. Mr..
Lilienthal's exact words are sig
nificant. He was asked concern
ing the monopoly features Of the
present law: do you think that
monopoly should be continued on
and on?"
mo-" was the reply. "1 don't,
not a day longer than it takes to
figure out workable alternatives.
I don't know Of any instance in
American industrial history in
which q new technology with
great value for industry began
with q Government monopoly.
The reason it is true of atomic
energy is simply that 1t started
out as q war baby. The plants
were all paid for by the Govern
ment and they are intimately re-
lated to national security.
II think the Government ought
TO get out of 1t as far as it can and
as fast as 1t can. That will not
be easy. but We ought to start
working at 1t now. /"
DO you think some day we
could separate weaponeering from
other atomic activities and say
that weaponeering should be q
Government monopoly and the
rest should be outside that mo-
nopoly?" he was asked.
II know Of no~public policy more
important than getting this new
technology OF on the right foot.
Let us say weaponeering is Gov
ernment monopoly. Even there.
the commission has worked hard
to get private contractors into the
picture, and has succeeded In per-
suading Western Electric, Bendix
and others to do q big job. As to
weaponeering then, let's keep that
as Government monopoly.
And for the rest, I'd say the
burden Of proof Is on the fellow
who says this has to be a Govern
ment monopoly forevermore. I'll
settle for some intelligent discus
sion instead Of having people say,
'Shhh - the atom - don't talk
about it,"
Says New Era Opened.
With the many possible uses OF
atomic energy to prolong human
life, to improve the quantity and
quality of the food for the human
race, and to produce q new form
of energy for power purposes, Mr..
Lilienthal feels that a new era has
opened up to mankind. He says
1t is desirable for the whole world
to concentrate on improving the
techniques for peacetime uses.
The fact that the present
chairman Of the Atomic Energy
Commission has resigned In order
to discuss these problems does
not mean he plans to argue about
the military aspects or the secrets
involved but merely that he
wishes to steer public thinking
into q new attitude toward atomic
energy - q new approach which
can conceivably aid in the peace
time development Of this remark
able discovery.
Incidentally, inasmuch as Mr..
Lilienthal was the head Of the
Tennessee Valley Authority - a
Government monopoly-it might
be wondered whether he is chang
ing his view. This, however, re-
quires q differentiation between
the utilization of natural re-
sources to make power - the con-
troll Of rivers and waterfalls and
dams - which Mr.. Lilienthal still
thinks Is primarily a government
tai proposition, and the develop.
ment Of a new technology. AS to
the latter, he feels a Government
monopoly would be wrong. Hence,
industry generally, now that the
issue has been clarified, will feel
free to press Congress for such
changes In the present law as
will accelerate the use Of atomic
energy in peacetime.
(Reproduction Rights Released.)
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