Evening star., 1952-11-12
Important Decisions
On Atomic Energy
Await Republicans
By Cecil HoIIond

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Control and direction of the
Joint Committee on Atomic Ener-
gy will be one of the important
and possibly most far-reaching-
assignments the Republicans will
take over when they organize the
new Congress in January.
This is the committee that ex-
ercises a watchdog function over
the development of this country's
atomic program, and it will be
confronted almost Immediately by
several highly critical matters.
Foremost, of course. will be the
atomic weapons program-and
particularly the hydrogen bomb.
Owing to secrecy restrictions, noI
one on the outside knows just
what progress has been made inl
the development of the hydrogenI
bomb on which the country en-
barked. after it became officially
and publicly known that the Rus
slams had conducted an atomic
explosion.
Explosion Reported Unofficially.
But unofficial reports about
which the Atomic Energy Com
mission and military authorities
so far have refused any COMMENT
whatever have described what
could have been a hydrogen bomp
explosion during recent tests at
Eniwetok in the Pacific. One un-
Identified eyewitness has been
quoted as saying a mile-wide is
land actually disappeared in the
explosion.
The commission indicated today
1t will have an early announce
ment of the current tests.
The matter of what to do in the
way of official announcements
about the Eniwetok tests is only
one of the many things the con-
gresSional committee will have a
voice in. Another is the develop
ment of other atomic weapons.
such as atomic artillery, and their
use in the Korean war. While
those are matters for President
elect Eisenhower to decide, the
congressional committee usually
IS consulted and informed of all
that is going on in the way of
atomic developments and uses.
Still other matters involve the
extent that secrecy will be main
tanned and whether private enter
prise will be given a greater role
IN the atomic program.
Two for Chairmanship.
Either Senator Hickenlooper of
Iowa or Representative Sterling
Cole of New York is in line for
the Craftsmanship of the Joint
atomic committee.
The committee is composed of
18 members-nine from the House
and nine from the Senate. The
atomic energy law provides thatI
the committee will elect its chair
man.
The late Senator Brien Nc
Mahon of Connecticut, who was
largely responsible for the law.
served as chairman while the
Democrats ruled the Congress:
Since his death the acting chair
man has been Representative
Durham, Democrat, of North Car
DINA, who was vice chairman.
Senator Hickenlooper served as
chairman during the Republican,
controlled 80th Congress. He is
known to desire to have the chair
manship again.
Rotation Proposed.
House members, however, have
started talking about one of their
number for the Craftsmanship on
the idea of rotation. Representa-
tive Cole is the ranking Repub-
lican member and would be in
line for the post if it should go
to the House side.
Representative Durham already
has indicated he and other Demo-
cratic House members will sup
port Mr.. Cole for the position.
When the Republicans organize
Congress-, Senator Pastore, Demo-
crat, of Rhode Island will lose
his place on the committee. He
was named to the group on the
death of Senator Mcmahon.
Republicans will name two new
members. One will succeed Repre-
sentative Elston of Ohio, who re-
tired from Congress. The other
will be the successor to Repre-
sentative Jackson, Democrat, of
Washington, who won a Senate
seat.