Evening star., 1954-10-28
"A Scientist Looks at Security

the Atomic Energy Commission which goes
beyond his undisputed standing as bril-
liant man of science. It has nothing to do,
directly, with the fact that he testified in
defense Of DR.. ]. Robert Oppenheimer in the
latter's security-risk hearing. It does not
spring from his farSighted advocacy OF an
all-out effort to make the hydrogen bomb,
nor from the fact that he had much to do
with it's successful development
Instead, it is a reinsurance which finds
dent has chosen for this highly important
post man whose feet seem to be firmly
planted on the ground.
DR.. Won Neumann is not an extremist.
He does not believe that the good wartime
relationship between scientists and the Gov
ernment is being destroyed" by our security
system And remarks to the effect that SCI
entists will cease to work for the Govern
ment have been characterized by him as
"loose" talk At the same time, he is fully
alive to the dangers and shortcomings Of
the security system as it operates today.
Dr. Won Neumann starts from the prem
ise that the problems which grow out Of
the need to protect Government secrets on
the one hand, and the protection of the
rights of individuals on the other, will be
with us for long time. Testifying before
the House Government Operations Commit
tee last summer, DR.. Won Neumann put it
this way:
-The strained world situation (out of
which these acute problems flow has been
going on for 10 years, and 10 years is long
time; and if it has been going on for 10 years,
it might easily 60 on for another 10 years.
have lot ofeonfidence that the (Securty)
problem will have to be solved. but think
it will have to be solved by legislation. do
not bank on the problem of security dis
appearing, because it is completely outside
our control. It exists for reasons about which
We can do nothing. It may not disappear.
He went on from this rather cheerless
starting point to argue that dismissal for
security reasons is, for the average person,
and especially for "small people," profess
sionaI catastrophe. In many industries 1t
would be comparable, he said, to the expul-
sion OF doctor by the American Medical
Association. DR.. Won Neumann pursued the
matter In this vein: # @ A
Public attention is now focused on this
problem and the public frequently views
security proceedings as minor trials for trea-
son. Yet we are still living with a system
where this is an administrative matter and
is handled administratively, not judcially.
This is a very bad situation because by now
the public puts judicial Interpretation on
all the administrative measures that are
taken, and the administrative measures have
to be taken by administrators and not by
judges. and therefore without most of the
safeguards that would surround judicial
procedure.
DR.. Won Neumann was not prepared to
spell out the details of desirable judicial
procedure. That will be very difficult thing
to do, if it can be done, and it is not his re-
sponsibility. It is reassuring, however, to
know that man of these views can be
named to the sensitive Acc Those who fear
the consequences Of the prevailing security
program will be glad to know that voice
such as DR.. Won Neumann's may henceforth
be heard in the inner circles.