Evening star., 1953-06-05
Arco's Atomic Mooic

Yesterdays atomic blast in Nevada
apparently the greatest yet detonated on our
continent-was far less significant, despite all
its spectacular hellishness, than what Gordon
Dean had to say, at almost the same time, to
the Atlantic City meeting of the Edison Electric
Institute.
For Mr.. Dean speaking as chairman of
the Atomic Energy Commission, announced an
achievement that probably will take its place
in history as one of the most important, and
potentially one of the most revolutionary,
developments of its kind since the fabrication
of the first A-bomb. The achievement is this
Our scientists, working with the Experimental
Breeder Reactor at the huge testing station
near Arco, Idaho, have found out how to trans
mute non-f fashionable uranium 238 into fission-
able plutonium in process that produces at
least as much pure nuclear fuel as it consumes.
In fact, what they have learned may we'll
mean that the process can produce such fuel
in quantities even larger than the consumed
U-235.
Stated another way, with oversimplification,
the scientists at Arco have succeeded in work.
ing out breeding" operation in which fisSion-
able material "reproduces" itself. Some idea
of the high significance of the development can
be had from trying to visualize the same sort of
thing in the case of coal. Thus if such
PIOCCSS COuIu Dc dppllcU W n CON Ol COdl,
while burning itself out in the course of gen.
Grating heat and energy, would also produce
at least a ton or more of itself from it's own
ashes. Although this is an imprecise analogy,
the magic performed in Idaho is roughly COM
parable to it. AS far as the long-range future
Is concerned, the achievement points to a day
when the supply of nuclear fuel will be as easily
within reach and considerably greater-in
terms of it's power potential-than all the
worlds present reserves of coal, oil and gas.
MIR. Dean has been at pains to caution that
the promise implicit in this tremendously his
toric advance is still largely a promise and
that many years are likely to pass before it is
fulfilled in the form of concrete developments.
Yet he has left no room for doubt that it's chief
meaning, wholly apart from its great i'm
portance in relation to the output of A-weapons,
is that it opens the way to wondrous new
progress in the field of peacetme power for
men and nations everywhere-poWer to heat
homes, light up cities and run the machinery
of industries throughout the world. 1t is be-
cause of this prospect, because it is so real,
that he and the Atomic Energy Commission
have recommended that our present law be
amended to permit private enterprise to par
ticipate directly, and with profit incentives, in
a concerted effort to translate the bright new
vision into benefcent reality for all.
Some people have been quick to attack the
Aces proposals as an "atomic giveaway pro-
gram" Mr.. Dean, in polite language, has made
it abundantly clear that such criticism is not
merely shallow and stupid but downright
untruthful. Certainly as he has indicated, the
vast potential progress implicit in the near
miraculous achievement at Arco will never be
attained unless and until the private utility
companies are free to join in promoting 1t.