Evening star., 1951-08-24
Atomic Revolution on the Way

Although it is revolutionary in its implica-
tions, there is nothing particularly surprising
about the Navy's announcement that it has
contracted with the Electric Boat Company of
Groton, Connecticut for the building of "the first
nuclear-powered submarine" In effect, the an
nouncement merely confirms what has been
openly indicated for many months past by MEM
bers OF the Atomic Energy Commission and top
naval authorities namely, that such vessel can
be constructed and that it probably will be an
operating reality in the relatively near future.
Actually, work on this highly significant
project first began to take firm shape late in
l948 when the Chicago Office of the Acc revealed
that the westinghouse Electric Corporation, col
laborating with the Argonne National Labora-
tory, had been commissioned to build an expert
mental nuclear reactor for adaptation ito the
propulsion of a Navy vessel within the shortest
practicable time" Periodically thereafter, offi-
clal reports strongly suggested that important
progress was being made to that end-so much
so. in fact that by April, 1850, decision was
reached at the highest level to have the Knolls
Atomic Laboratory, which is operated by the
General Electric Company, undertake separate
effort to design and develop submarine A
engine.
There can be practically no doubt now that.
the Westinghouse and GE people have sue
ceeded in building such an engine, or at least in
developing it to point where its near future
availability has been guaranteed. II this were
not so, the Navy would hardly have moved at this
stage to have the Electric Boat Company con-
struct "the first nuclear-powered submarine"
Here Is development of the most far-reaching
importance-a fact that can be better appreci-
ated if we keep in mind that weight unit of
atomic energy is estimated to be the equivalent
in motive force of not less than 100000 weight
OoS olofiv
something like spoonful of it would be enough
to fuel extraordinarily long voyages. As far as
our undersea fleet is concerned (not to mention
breath-taking possibilities in connection with to-
morrow's surface war vessels and commercial
liners, what all this promises is much faster
submerged operations of virtually unlimited
range without benefit of snorkes
But there is much more to the picture than
just that. In addition, the atom driven airplane
although it probably is great deal farther off
than the Navy Development appears to be very
definitely on the way. Indeed, Acc Chairman
Gordon Dean has declared that he is sure Of
its coming, and General Vandenberg, chief Of the
United States Air Force, has said that it is really
much closer than most people imagine. AS a
matter of fact, the basic think" work on 1t has
been finished and the General Electric Com
pany, in keeping with USAF contract, is now
seeking to translate it into reality. What does
it promise? Answer: With a pound of pure nu-
clear fuel, such craft. it has been estimated
would be theoretically capable of flying around
the world 30 times at $500 miles an hour-with-
out stopping. The estimate may be excessive
but it gives rough idea of the sort of thing that
is actually in the making. The fantasies of Buck
Rogers and Flash Gordon are not so fantastic
after ALL
Militarily, moreover, A-engine development
adds to the possibility that the day may come
when man will have at his disposal in addition
perhaps to interplanetary space Ships" inter-
continental guided missiles and rockets capable
OF being fired with great accuracy and super
sonic speed at targets anywhere on earth Be-
yond that, of course, in non military sense IN
much pleasanter sense, things like atom -driyen
submarines and airplanes mean also that we are
moving toward time when nuclear energy will
loom large in the economy and society Of the
whole world as beneficent source of industrial
power-power to build, power to reclaim deserts,
power to promote an unprecedented increase in
the living standards of humanity everywhere.
This is but part of the picture implicit in the
Navy's announcement on "the first nuclear-pow-
cred submarine" The decades ahead are truly
pregnant with revolution. If there is peace, il
men and nations succeed somehow in bridling
their passions and averting another total war,
then the atom, with its enormous capacity for
evil held in rigid restraint can be so harneSsed
as to bring great blessings to all peoples in all
lands.