Evening star., 1950-02-04
Stealing Our Secrets

Steuiin9 OuI SeCIetS
1t would be pointleSS to belittle the seri-
BUSINESS of the disclosure that the British
have arrested Klaus Fuchs, German born
physicist, on charges of turning over
atomic secrets to the Russians.
The Atomic Energy Commission has an
nounced that DR.. Fuchs, during his war
time work in this country, had access to
"a wide area of the most vital (atomic)
weapons information" 1t. Gen. Leslie R.
Groves, who was in charge of the atomic
project, says that DR.. Fuchs held position
in which he was necessarily afforded
access to great deal of information both
as to our development and future posi-
bilities and proposed developments. The
British say that on at least two occasions,
once in 1945 and again in 1947, DR.. Fuchs
divulged atomic secrets to the Russians
Dr. Fuchs does not deny this and it is said
that he has made confession.
What are the logical inferences? Here is
the most vital secrets of the production of
the atomic bomb Presumably he handed
them all over to the Russians. And what of
General Groves statement that DR.. Fuchs
had a great deal of information about "fu-
ture possibilities and proposed develop
ments?" DR.. Fuchs worked in this coun-
try on the Abomb project until June of
1946. It has been reported that the de-
velopment of the hydrogen bomb was first
considered in 1945. Was this one of the
proposed developments" concerning which
DR.. Fuchs had great deal' of informa-
tion? If so, there is no reason to suppose
that he neglected to pass that on, too, to
his Russian friends
How did this naturalized Briton get into
position of such great trust? General
Groves says that 'his responsibility, dis
cretion and loyalty were vouched for by
his own government" What Investigation
OF him had been made by the British
government? Not much, apparently if
any. It was not until March of 1948 that
the British government got around to re-
moving Communists and fellow-travelers
from jobs involving national security. BY
That time DR.. Alan Num- May, another
British government physicist, had been
convicted of giving atomic secrets to the
opportunity to do his bit for the Kremlin.
It is too late, now to mend these par
ticular broken fences. DR.. May is serving
a prison term. DR.. Fuchs, if convicted,
can be given a maximum, of ID years..
Meanwhile, however, it is only too clear
that the Russians have made very good
use of the atomic secrets which they have
been able to steal from us and from the
British. Small wonder that they broke our
atomic bomb monopoly sooner than most
of the experts thought possible
If there is any benefit to be derived now
from this situation it lies in the lesson it
teaches. Let those Americans who have
been rending the air with protests against
the "hySterical witch hunt" of our security
program null over the case of DR.. Fuchs.
Let those who say that there is no excuse
for overlapping by the FBI in espionage
cases, even under the close supervision of
the Attorney General, think little deeper.
The clear fact is that loyalty cannot be
taken for granted. The undoubted loyalty
of the vast majority becomes meaningless
IT even one disloyal person can worm his
way into position where he has access to
the most vital secrets. One spy, properly
placed, can do us enormous damage.
We are fully committed now to an arma
ments race with the Russians. If we lose
that race our security will not. be worth a
plugged nickel. The damage that has been
done cannot be undone. But it is impera-
tive that we do everything possible.
through the FBI and other responsible
agencies, to prevent the theft of new
secrets In the future. Some Americans
will try to harass and cripple this effort
by attacking the methods used and the
motives Of the men responsible for our
security. But they should remember, and
the American people should remember.
that these gentlemen are gambling with
our lives.