Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-06
Science Federation
Asks Review of j. 5.
Security Program
sy me A.sesie,sd Press

DR.. j. Robert Oppenheimer,
famed scientist who supervised
development Of Americas first
atomic bomb, was declared q Sc
curity risk last week by the
Atomic Energy Commission. Four
OF the five commissioners held
DR.. Oppenheimer's connection
with the federal nuclear pro-
gram should be ended because Of
defects Of character" and asso-
Citations with Communists.
Following Is the complete text
Of the statement Of the scien-
lists, released by Ernest G. Pol
lard. vice chairman:
Barring review by the Pres
ident. 1t now appears that the
Q ppenheimer case has been
closed 20 far as official proceed
ures are concerned. but in its
effects the case cannot be closed
nor can these effects yet even
be estimated. Whether the Sc
curity Of the United States has
gained or lost will depend upon
the degree to which the lessons
OF the Oppenheimer case are ap-
preciated by officials and the
public.
The case has re-emphasized
disturbing and dangerous char
acteristics in the operation Of
the present security program.
We approve the action Of the
Atomic Energy Commission ma
jority in deleting from its con-
illusions the question Of Open
heimer's opinions and his advice
IN connection with the H-bomb
program. But in this instance.
deletion is not enough. We cam
not forget that the regulations
OF the present security program
permitted these charges to be
made and seriously entertained.
Dangerous to Security. :
This attack on an honestly
expressed opinion is not only
contrary to American principles
out also Is dangerous to the real
security OF the Nation. That
such . charge was officially made
suggests that considerations Of
this kind may be involved in less
publicized cases. Positive action
is therefore necessary to dispeI
this impression II 1t is erroneous.
we believe 1t imperative that
the highest authorities ia this
administration prevent any such
possibility by issuing appropriata
instructions 70. all security per-
sonnet.
1T is important to emphasize,
to keep the record straight h
the public mind, that accordine
to Commissioner Smyth there r
no indication In the entire rec
ORD that DR.. Oppenheimer has
ever divulged any secret infor-
nation The majority's case
against Oppenheimer based it,
self on a handful OF Incidents.
relating IN large part to events
OF over 10 years ago, taken an
OF the context of distinguished
career and . record Of brilliant
loyal service to the Nation nj.
most unmatched In It's impor-
lance. Yet the allegations Of
defects in his character nc
his Communist associations
growing out Of these incident
were considered controlling
Commissioner smyth, In his dis-
senttng opinion. takes I'D these
detailed allegations point by
point and concludes that the
evidence is singularly unimpres-
sive when viewed in the perspec-
tive OF the Is years of active
LIE from which it is drawn
Ihe essence Of the problem
faced by the Acc. and all agen-
cies concerned with security. was
nicely posed by Commissioners
Iuckert in his concurring opin-
ion: In many cases, like the one
before US. q complex qualitative
determination is required. One
inherent difficulty is that every
human being Is to some degree
2 security risk In the case Of
DR.. Oppenheimer, the commits
sion was undeniably faced with
certain elements which. taken
alone. would raise doubts az to
his trustWorthiness.
Common Sense Judgment.
But the Acc security criteria
call for an overall, common
sense judgment, Application OF
this standard Of Judgment. we
believe in concurrence with Com
missioner Smyth, destroys any
pattern Of suspicious conduct
which has been attributed to
Oppenheimer. Particularly is
this 80. as Smyth pointed out,
since few men could survive such
. period Of investigation and in
terrogation without having many
Of their actions misinterpreted
or misunderstood
"Procedurally. the Oppenheim-
err case appears to have its full
course. But the verdict which
circumstance dictated has not re-
moved the doubts and apprehen-
sions widely held by many
thoughtful citizens who have
examined the issues in this case.
These doubts and apprehensions
arise out Of certain self-defeat-
ing features Of the security pro-
gram itself.
"A program which, In the quest
for 100 percent security, unneces-
sarily rejects the services Of men
OF great talent ceases to serve
Its function properly. We call
upon President Eisenhower to ap-