Evening star., 1952-12-08

of reactors is such that practica
industrial use is still margina
economically and technically re-
plete with question marks. A!
reactor technology progresses ane
the feasibility of economical nu'
clear power plants becomes more
promising, discussion OF the pros
and cons of keeping secret this
portion of our atomic know-hov
will probably become more intense
and widespread.
In bomb manufacture there are
many secrets. often called"gadg-
cts" on the project, bombs con-
sist of clever arrangements OF
parts and materials, generally
unique to the business. Neverthe-
less, many of the components are
made by commercial concerns as
part of their routine production
of consumer or industrial goods
Such of the components as are
unique require extensive develop
ment and appear to be Of no use
for anything except atomic weap-
ons. These are kept secret. The
production technology-the man.
ner of engineering many complex
parts and putting them together
into reliable. precise, rugged de-
vices known as atomic bombs-is
secret. Nevertheless, 1t should be
understood that the production
contractors are probably able to
accomplish these difficult jobs by
virtue of skills and knowledge ac-
quired through competition in a
free enterprise system.
Almost Impossible Task.
It would be less than candid to
state that the only secrets we
have are those of our production
know-how and the design and
manufacture of unique and spe-
cialized devices and materials. We
try, with some success, to conceal
the precise scale of our produc-
ton effort and the scheduling OF
our more sensitive projects. This
is an almost impossible task in a
democracy which is nominally at
peace.
Completion dates of plants
initial start-up of production facil-
tiles and similar actions become
known through the movement OF
laborers on and off the job or the
beginning of large-scale power
consumption or even through pub
lie parts of Congressional discus
sions. All except few of our
plants are, in one way or another
exposed to public view. We have
no walled-in cities in remote areas
nor any secret police to discourage
public discussion or speculation. II
is almost impossible to travel in
cognito on commercial transporta-
ton facilities, especially if we'll
known in technical circles.
Nevertheless we do exert ou1
best effort to conceal from inimical
interests just what we are doing
or planning to do in the produc-
ton of fashionable material and
weapons. 1t is not an entirely
successful effort for we have found
it Impossible, for example, to con-
ceal from public view the existence
and general purpose of billion
dollar plant. Moreover it is not
possible, nor is it probably desir-
able in democracy, to obtain
public funds for constructing such
a plant without revealing general
purpose. location, approximate
construction schedule, and other
wise indicating the possible effect
of plant construction on the neigh
boring communities.
In spite of vigilance to avoid
pointlesS security. we also have
some secrets which should not be
secrets. The tendency in the
atomic energy project has been
and still is to lean over backwards
in security matters. This is under
standable. Part of the attitude is
a hangover from the hectic hush
hush days of the wartime project.
Moreover, in a period of interna-
tional tension the thought of in
advertently giving assistance to
a potential enemy is sufficiently
to encourage conserva-
tisn1. Over classifying information
has never heei1 considered a crime