Evening star., 1950-02-04
Atom Scientist t'sArresi
Causes Far Less Stir
In Britain Than in u. 5.
BY the Assoeiofed Press

Britain's top atomic scientist on
charges of giving away atom Sc
crets caused much less excitement
here today than it did in the
United States.
! In the London press the jailing
of 38-year-old Dr., Klaus Emil
Julius Fuchs was given less space
than recent stories about the
United States hydrogen bomb
project.
The scientist was head of the
Theoretical Physics Division OF
Britain's only working atom prof.
ect-the atomic energy research
establishment at Harwell, SIS miles
southwest of London.
Fuchs was in gloomy Brixton
Prison awaiting trial next Friday
Government officials would say
nothing about the case, a standard
procedure here since comment
about cases still before the judges
might run afoul of strict British
rules on contempt of court.
No Comment Published.
Only three of the eight most
widely circulated London morning
newspapers gave the story of the
arrest top position on the front
page. No editorial comment was
published.
Fuchs. a shy bachelor, born in
Germany but a naturalized Briton,
is accused of passing atomic re-
search data to an unknown per-
son in the United States in Feb
ruary. 1945. and again elsewhere
in 1947. ."a'~sH7
The formal charge-violation of
the Official Secret Acts-says that
the information might be use
full" to an enemy and that Fuchs
handed it over "for a purpose
prejudicial to the safety or inter-
ests of the state"
Fuchs made no statement as
his case was set for trial. If con-
victed, he could get seven years in
prison on each count, or total of
IA years.
The contempt of court laws ap-
peared to be only one factor keep
ing down discussion of the case
In addition. the British continue
to be wrapped up in their eco
nomic troubles and the political
campaign preceding the February
% general election.
Lived on Plant Grounds.
Fuchs. whom the FBI termed
Britain's big brain of atom bomb
research, was described here as a
quiet bachelor who lived alone in
a three-room, one-story prefab-
ricated house just inside the
atomic energy plant grounds at
Harwell.
One neighbor said he was pleas
ant but reserved. She said he
seldom talked to people.
He is five feet eight inches tall
broad shouldered, sallow, DARK
haired, balding and wears glasses
Friends said he speaks good Eng
lish, but with a strong foreign
/ accent.
Much of Fuchs early career is
a mystery to the public, but vari-
GUS agencies supplied these de-
tails:
Fuchs was born in Germany and
was naturalized as a British SUBJ
ject July 80, 1912, while living in
Birmingham. He had come to
Britain as student In 1888 and
later became a physics instructor
Father Theology Professor.
His father is theology professor
at the University of Leipzig, in
the Soviet occupation zone of
Germany.
Holder of the degrees of doctor
OF science and doctor of philos-
ophy, Fuchs belongs to the British
Institute of Physics. On the cur
rent civil service list he is one
of "a deputy chief scientific off,
GERS of the Ministry of Supply, a
job paying f1, 500 to FL 800 ($4,480
to $5,040) yearly.
He was sent to the United
States in November, 1943,- with
the wartime British atomic en-
ergy mission. Remaining there
until June. 1946. he worked on
atomic research in New York,
Washington and Los Alamos, N.
| Mex.
In November. 1s47, he went
back to Washington for the
United States British Canadian
conference on security of infor-
nation. During that visit he also
visited the Argonne National Lab
oratory in Chicago to discuss nom
secret material.