Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-16

DR.. Oppenheimef said ne had
invented q cock-and-bull story"
when questioned about the in
cident. Asked why he had done
so. he replied:
Because I was an idiot"
DR.. Oppenheimer testified that
an associate, Haakon Chevalier.
had told him in DR.. Open
heimer's pantry that a man
named George Eltenton had
means of getting technical in
formation to Soviet scientists.
DR.. Oppenheimer said he told
Mr. Chevalier "but that is trea-
son" or this is a terrible thing
to do"
But. he continued, when ques-
toned by security officers he
concealed MIR. Chevalier's iden-
tity and invented a story about
a "Mr x" approaching three
people at the secret atomic pro-
ject. DR.. Oppenheimer said he
was reluctant to name Mr..
Chevaher, whom he described
as a close friend. He said he
knew Eltenton slightly.
Full Story Did Not Emerge.
'In actual fact. I think the
only person that needed watch
ing or should have been watched
was Eltenton," he continued.
But as I concocted the story
that did not emerge"
He said he knew that his ac-
count to the security officers
would impede their investigation
of the alleged espionage attempt
Mr.. Dean. a member Of the
Acc from May, 1949, to June,
1858, and chairman after July
1950-during the years when the
hydrogen bomb was developed
said the scientists on the nine
man Acc Advisory Committee
had created the stomic bomb
and then witnessed failure to
achieve international control
of it.
when this proposal of build
ing another bigger one hit them,
as some said, as the answer to
our national security. ] think it
rather hoored and disguised
them I think it was rather
a stomach reaction along those
lines" Mr.. Dean said.
II did not agree with it. but
I think I can understand it."
Other Reasons Mentioned.
Mr.. Dean said there We're
other reasons, beyond the tum-
my reasons" why the scientists
opposed a big H-bomb project
citing a fear that the hydrogen
effort would undermine the al
ready successful atomic bomb
program, and the H-bomb prof.
ect could still fail.
David E. Lilienthal, who was
chairman of the Acc from 1916
until about the time Mr.. Truman
announced that he had ordered
about work on the H-bomb,
was questioned closely about a
clearance given DR.. Oppenheimer
in .1947 after an FBI report on
the scientist had been delivered
to the Acc.
An Acc memo read during
Mr.. Lilienthal's testimony dis
closed that the commission con-
Sidered setting up o special
board to review DR.. Open
heirner's security record, and
that MIR. Lilienthal suggested
that it be comprisedAOf Supreme
Court justices.
That suggestion was taken to
the White House, the memo
said, and Clark Clifford, then
special counsel to Mr.. Truman,
advised against it as drawing
the justices into unwarranted
outside activity. He promised
to discuss the whole matter with
Mr.. Truman, however.
Amy Doubts Were Brief.
Mr.. Lilienthal testified he had
forgotten making such a sug-
gestion. but said he was sure no
such board was ever set up.
Questioned as to whether the
Acc decided within two days
after receiving the material from
FBI' Director j. Edgar Hoover,
Mr.. Lilienthal said he did not
remember the exact timing, but
that I'VE did not entertain any
doubts for any length of time,
and I. for one, entertained
no doubts at ALL"
Mr.. Lilienthal, who was one
of those who opposed the H
bomb program, described as a
narrowing experience" hearing
the view Of Gen. Omar N. Brad
icy, then chairman Of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff. that they had
no reserve except the A-bomb in
the event of aggression any,
where in the world" He said
1--WE had falsely relied upon
the security of simply q stock
pile of A-bombs, that we had
impoverished our military estab-
liShment."
Statements Of Others.
Highlights from testimony of
some other witnesses:
DR.. Vannevar Bush, wartime
director of the Office of Scien-
tific Research and Development
Great confidence in his (Op-
penheimer's) Judgment and in
tegrity." His faith in DR..
Oppenheimer ''has not in the
slightest degree been shaken"
DR.. Karl T. Compton, former
president Of Massachusetts, In
stitute of Technology and a pres
idential adviSer-Revocation of
DR.. Oppenheimer's security clear
ance would be felt by the scien-
tif1c community as "a shock,
there would be encouragement.
there would be confusion. ]
think the result would be very