Evening star., 1953-04-02
Astiin
Continued From First Page J

be shown to have been fair anc
adequate"
Willing to Face Committee.
He offered to tell his story tc
any congressional committee
that wanted to listen.
Senator Hunt, Democrat, OF
Wyoming, today accused the
Commerce Department of using
"police state methods" in firing
DR.. Astin.
"They kicked him out without
even hearing his case," the Sen
ator told a reporter. This is a
strong-arm. police state meth
cd"
He asked the Senate Small
Business Committee to hold pub
lie hearings on the incident. and
said Committee Chairman Thye
bad promised he would get to
the bottom of the row.
Senator Thye, Minnesota Re-
publican. said the full committee
will meet soon, perhaps next
week, to discuss any need fol-
further hearings.
Further Reasons Claimed.
Secretary of Commerce Weeks
and Assistant Secretary Craig
Sheaffer told the committee al
a brief meeting Tuesday that the
battery incident was only one
reason for ousting DR.. Astir
from the bureau, where he had
worked for 81 years. AS director
he drew a salary Of $4,000 an
nually.
Among the witnesses Senator
Hunt wants to hear are Scien-
fists ffrom the Bureau of Stand
ards and the Massachusetts, In
stitute Of Technology who tested
the battery additive-and came
up with conflicting opinions
about its usefulness.
DR.. Jesse M. Ritchie, who
manufactures the chemical, in
California, told a reporter he
would welcome a Congressional
investigation of the whole affair
He said DR.. Astin and his scien-
lists were biased against his
product, but he did not profess
to know why.
Differ on Effectiveness.
The chemical-known as AD-
X2-is a powder. that Is mixed
with a battery's fluid. DR.
Ritchie and scientists at NIT
say it adds life to batteries; the
Bureau of Standards says II
doesn't.
DR.. Astin, explaining his dis
missal, said that, "about 8
month ago it was apparent tt
me that the Department o1
Commerce did not have con.
f1dence in the adequacy of ths
bureaus work on battery ad'
ditives."
"Since this work is technica
in nature, and since propel
evaluation of it can be done
only by qualified scientists,
urged in writing on March
that the department secure The
best possible advice in the Natior
for such an evaluation."
He suggested that the de.
partment call in the Visiting
Committee for the bureau, 9
group established by law t.
check on the efficiency of The
bureaus operations; or a grour
from the National Academy o.
Sciences.
Neither suggestion was fol
lowed.
Text of Statement.
The text of DR.. Astin'S state
ment follows:
ST was asked for my reSigna'
ton on March "a by Mr.. Sheaffer
and he stated that the Secretar.
desired my resignation in orde
to study and make changes il
the operations Of the Nationa
Bureau of Standards"
Although I had expected II
try to work with the Secretar,
in carrying out any changes h
wished to make in the operation
of the bureau" DR.. Astin said
this apparently was not desire,
by him. Also, although I hav,
not had the privilege of a con
ference with the Secretary o
fCommerce, I was told informall,
by Mr.. Sheaffer on February l;
and in writing on February Q
that the National Bureau o
Standards was to be under hi
| iIlriS1ictiOO hovn hod mn G{fH