Evening star., 1951-09-18
Mcmahon Asks
Mass Output Of
Atom Weapons
Says Bomb Can Be
Produced at Less
Than Cost of Tank
BY the Associated Press

senator McMahOn, Democrat,
of Connecticut, called today for
all-out mass production of atomic
weapons to equip a mighty atomic
army, navy and air force. He said
emphasis on atomic rather than
conventional ornaments would
save United States taxpayers $50
billion year.
The chairman of the Senate
House Atomic Energy Committee
declared in prepared Senate ad-
dress that all-out mass production
could bring the cost of an A-bomb
down to less than that of a tank.
He urged that this country
spend $6 billion a year to equip
an atomic Army, Navy and Air
Force he said could guarantee
American security by making it
impossible for Russia to attack
the free world.
He said that only $3.50 million
actually was paid out of the treas
ury for the atomic program in the
year ending last June 80.
Much Cheaper Than INT.
Dollar for dollar" Senator Nc
Mahon declared, atomic deter
ring power is actually hundreds
of times cheaper than TINT. An
atomic weapon can produce, at
a cost of $40 or $50, the same
explosive force which costs liter
ally thousands of dollars to pro-
duce by ordinary means.
Money spent upon the atomic
bomb could pulverize a dozen
enemy war plants at no more ex-
pense than destroying a single
plant with TNT-and this says
nothing of the fact that one plane
can deliver one A-bomb as against
the huge armadas needed to de-
liver an equivalent cargo of block
busters"
Meanwhile, the Defense Depart
ment announced plans to put
5000 fighting men through train
i ing soon to learn by actual ex-
perience how to live on a battle
field scared and blasted by an
atomic barrage.
An Army statement described
the atomic maneuvers to be held
at Frenchmens Flats, New. Army,
Navy and Air Force personnel will
participate.
New Series of Tests.
The indoctrination will be dur
ing new series of nuclear tests at
the atomic proving grounds called
Exercise Desert Rock"
An Army battalion combat team
will establish a battle position, dig
trenches and dugouts and string
wire before each explosion. Then
they will move to safe positions as
the explosion comes.
Presumably, their places in the
trenches and foxholes will be TAX
en- by blast and heat recorders and
Geiger counters to record what
would happen to them as the de-
tonation occurs and the period Of
radiation danger thereafter.
The announcement came as
added proof that the United
States has made new and revolu-
tionary developments in atomic
warfare, that it is now possible
to use the deadly weapon in con-
Inection with ground troops rather
than only in mass or area bomb
ing
Designed to Show Damage.
The announcement said that
supporting service troops" would
operate with the combat team,
thus indicating that the tests also
: were designed to show how much
damage to food, clothing. COM
munications systems and other
material used in the field might
5 occur from the blast, heat and
4, radiation. Presumably, the train
5 ing will involve the recovery and
rehabilitation for immediate use
of such equipment.
>. Another important factor will
be psychological-to convince the
foot soldier that he can live and
fight through atomic attack if he
follows instructions.
The Atomic Energy Commission
and the Defense Department have
been working for more than a year
at development of atomic weapons
suitable for battlefield use. These
new tactical weapons repeatedly
have taken the form of both re-
duced size atomic bombs and
atomic artillery" although there
has been no official announce
ment of the accomplishments. The
artillery probably is more in the
form of rocket missile launched
from a rack.
Maj. Gen. William B. Kean.
former commander of the 25th In
fantry Division in Korea, will COM
mand the exercise.
Movie Death Toll IS