Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-26
Senators 10 Get
More Facts on
Atom Defense
u. S. Tactics Stress
Evucuuting Cities
And Better Missiles
By the Associated Press

cities and improved anti-aircraft
missiles are key points in super
secret plans for defense against
enemy atomic attacks.
Chairman SaltonStall called
members of the Senate Armed
Services Committee back into
closed session today for any
questions about the new plans
for continental defense.
With extreme caution. Senator
Saltonstall announced that top
secret details of the defcnses
had been outlined yesterday at
a closed session by Robert C.
Sprague. North Adams (MassJ
engineer and electronics manu-
facturer.
The Saltonstall statement
said the Senators got a picture
of an effective" defense which.
however, could not guarantee
complete protection"
Nike Expansion Asked.
Other Senators who listened
to MIR. Sprague said rapid evac-
uation of urban and industrial
populations was one of the pro-
tective measures advanced.
Another. they said, was ex-
pansion of the Nike installations
now ringing 10 locations, to
about 80 or IS. Mixes are high
speed guided missiles designed
to search out and destroy enemy
aircraft.
Senator Case, Republican. of
South Dakota. chairman of
subcommittee that has been
passing on all Nike sites, said
he would ask Mr.. Sprague about
effectiveness of the present de-
Tense pattern and future in
stallations.
Senator Case said perfection
and improvement of the original
Nike has permitted a big saw
ings in land that must be ac-
quired near cities and industrial
centers for the installations.
Ten Locations Disclosed.
So far. locations of 10 have
been made public through ap-
prevail of sites by congressional
committees.
They include Seattle, Pitts
burgh. Philadelphia, Detroit.
New York. Los Angeles, Boston,
Chicago. Norfolk. Va, and Fort
Meade. Md, which protects both
Washington and Baltimore.
Success of Nike operation as
we'll as any mass evacuation
rests upon advance warning
through the network of radar,
radio and communications
equipment expected to detect
any surprise air attacks.
Senator Saltonstall said Mr..
Sprague had full cooperation of
all top defense. intelligence and
atomic agencies in making his
independent survey for defenses
against 1.-The growing menace
because of Soviet developments
in the nuclear and thermonu-
clear (hydrogen) fields"
He said the secret reports in
dictate "a sound overall continent
tai defense program" is under
way with gratifying co-opera-
ton with Canada"
Lacks Complete Assurance.
These measures. plus prompt
action by ''our offensive forces,
provide an effective defense for
the United States commensurate
with the threat" Senator Salton-
stall said.
But he warned that even If
CVCAJ lCoOuASC Va Jul OOuI1CIy
were to be put into its offenses
and defenses, it would not buy
complete assurance that we will
not be attacked, nor complete
protection in the unfortunate
event of an atomic attack
against us"
He said the Nation must face
up to the fact that the threat of
atomic attack introduces a new
factor in our way of life"
Living with it may not be so
comfortable as before. but it is
a burden which the country can
abide and still remain free" he
concluded.
Senator Symington. Democrat.
OF Missouri, member of the
(See ATOMIC, Page A-5)