Evening star., 1950-11-24
; Nations Study Plan
Ito Release Data on
Some Atom Reactors
BY the Assoeioied Press


The United States. Britain and
Canada are taking new steps to
hasten atomic energy development
particularly for peacetime appli.
cations.
Specifically, they plan to re-
lease some secret information
about atomic devices called low
power reactors.
This plan Is not directly con-
nected to q statement made
earlier this week by Gordon Dean.
chairman Of the Atomic Energy
Commission, that the time may be
coming when consideration will
have to be given to the possibility
of making public the size, weight
and shpe Of the atom bomb.
The Atomic Energy Commis-
sion, in announcing the three.
government plan. quickly added.
however, that the information
would not aid rival nations IN
their development Of military ap-
plications Of atomic energy.
Can't Produce Weapons.
"Low-power research reactors,"
said the Acc, cannot be used for
producing atomic weapons or
power"
These reactors-devices for the
controlled release Of atomic energy
differ from controlled high
power reactors such as those used
to make plutonium. an Ingredient
of atomic bombs, In practical
quantities. But they do allow the
study of various phases Of atomic
energy.
The idea behind the new ease
of-secrecy move, the Acc said, is
to accelerate the training Of en-.
gineers and technicians In the re.
actor field.
A knowledge Of reactors. the
Acc has said on many occasions.
is basic to any development Of
atomic energy for such hoped-for
uses as industrial power and the
propulsion Of submarines and air.
craft.
Trained Technicians Needed.
The Acc currently Is engaged
in an extensive program Of its
own aimed at perfecting reactors
Of various types for practical uses.
And the commission has repeat
edly said there is a need for
trained technicians in this field.
Under the new scheme, college
instructors would have more de.
tailed information on how to de-
sign. construct and operate the
low-power reactors. They would
use it In teaching advanced stu
dents.
Also. an institution would have
enough information to construct
research reactor of its own pro-
vided it got an okay from Amer
lean, British or Canadian author.
tiles to acquire the atomic fuel"
needed to run the reactor.
Under a revised "declassifica-
ton guide" agreed on by the three
governments, information on four
j American. one British and ons
I Canadian reactor would be con-
sidered for public release in tech
,, nical journals. Actual release OF
the information. however. would
be subject to final approval before
publication.
Hickenlooper Favorable.
Meanwhile, Senator Hicken.
looper, Republican, Of Iowa gave
his unqualified Endorsement to the
plan for easing some of the secrecy
provisions. and also indicated he
would support a request for ad.
ditional Acc funds.
Senator Hickenlooper, the rank.
ing Republican member of the
Senate-House Atomic Committee
and its former chairman. has been
critical of Aces spending and
security policies in the past.
II think it is very likely that
additional funds are essential"
Senator Hickenlooper told news
men in response to questions about
Aces intentions to ask the Tame
duck" Congress for more cash.
AS for changing the atomic
laws security provisions, the Iowa
lawmaker said he was not opposed
to any change which would con.
tribute to the rapid development
Of atomic energy"
Acc General Manager Carleton
Shugg informed Senate Appro-
priations Committee members by
letter that an unspecifled sum Of
money is needed "for q further
program Of expansion Of certain
production facilities"
Congress already has appropri-
ated more than 5000 million in
cash for the Acc for the 1851
fiscal year which ends next
June 80.