Evening star., 1953-10-18
u. S. Considers Sneak Attack
with Hidden A-Weopon


/ countries-boarding them and
inspecting the cargoes.
This activity started soon
after the outbreak of the Korean
war and still goes on in 10
major port areas. Last year, an
average of about 100 ships
month were getting the treat
ment. Now, the number has
dropped off.
Use Geiger Counters.
In New York-where the
traffic is heaviest-the inspec-
ting officials board the incoming
vessels a safe 80 miles out, of
| the Ambrose Light. Armed with
blue prints, lading manifests and
Geiger counters. they spend an
average of four hours looking
for weapons of all types-vary-
ing from atom weapons down to
pencil bombs used for sabotage
or materials that could be used
in germ warfare.
The use of Geiger-counters is
somewhat puzzling. According to
one atomic scientist, Geiger-
counter could conceivably detect
the presence of hidden bomb.
''but only if the person who
made it did sloppy job" Any
Well-constructed weapon, it is
said, would escape detection.
Painstaking as it is, the search
for weapons under the Coast
Guard security program is ad-
mittedly like looking for a needle
in a haystack. The problem of
accounting for all the space
available for concealment aboard
a large vessel is almost hopeless.
And, in the case of atomic weap-
ons it isn't made any easier for
the fact that the inspectors have
no clear idea of what a bomb
looks like.
Special Harb0rs Suggested.
Recently, there has been some
talk of alternative methods of
defense against clandestine at
tacks. Chairman Cole of the
Joint Congressional Atomic En-
ergy Committee has suggested
the use of special harbors out
side strategic target areas for
suspected ships. He has also
limited at a new regulation re-
quiring crews of doubtful ships
to remain on board in American
ports as an effective deterrent to
such an attack
Any new plan designed to
tighten security might include
these steps, as well as broadening
and improving the present in
spection program. But consider
ing the difficulties involved, and
the variety of approach open to
the enemy, a Sure-f1re protec-
ton against clandestine weapons
seems highly doubtful.
The fact is, then, that an at
tack with hidden weapons on
this country is possible and will
probably remain so. Whether it
is a likely form of attack is quite
another question.
A number of people who have
studied the question believe that
it is not. Their reasoning, to be
sure, is not ground for rejoicing.
The main idea is that, given the
present state Of our military de-
fenses, a more orthodox attack
offers greater dividends to the
enemy.
Aerial Attack Stronger.
From the enemy's point of
view, one big hitch in using con-
cealed weapons is the relative
inefficiency of atomic explosions
near the ground and at sea level.
Unless the psychological impact
seems more important than the
physical damage done, an aerial
attack seems the better choice.
Beyond that, the risk of
detection-small as it may be
is unquestionably greater than
an outright military effort. Dis
covery of concealed weapon in
this country would not only re-
veal the extent of the enemy's
technical advancement but would
also rob him of his greatest single
advantage: the ability to launch
a single devastating knockout
blow without warning.
Remote as it may be, how
ever, the possibility of an attack
with hidden weapons cannot be
left out of the calculations of the
people responsible for this coun-
try's defense. With a genuine i'm
provement in military prepared
ness and civil defense measures,
the chances of such an attack
would increase. And the mea-
sureS that can be taken now to
improve internal security are
considered an important part of
the overall defense picture.