Evening star., 1955-06-26

scientists at the Bikini tests. Other
titles: Scientific adviser to the War
Department General STAFF (1946-D;
executive director, Committee on
Atomic Energy. National Military
Establishment (1948-9); acting
head, Nuclear Physics Branch, Of
fee Of Naval Research (1949).
A friend remarked: 1.-THE thing
about Ralph, in school and in
government, was not 30 much his
brilliance-it was Just that tire
mendous capacity for work." DR..
Lapp is inclined to agree with this
analysis. Though he generally took
top honors in his school career in
his home town. Buffalo. N. Y. he
feels there was more sweat than
inspiration in his efforts.
The youngest Of his family. he
has a sister and two brothers, all
of whose given names begin-out
Of his fathers fancy-with the
letter "R." DR.. Lapp worked his
way on scholarships through Ca
nisius College, and then on to the
University Of Chicago and his grad
uate work.
His parents, of German descent,
offered him no special impetus to-
ward q scientific career. For time,
DR.. Lapp considered making Eng
lish literature his life's work, and
did not come to a final decision
until well into his college years.
when an attack of mastoiditis
forced an operation which was to
rob him Of the hearing In one ear.
II don't know exactly what hap
pened under the ether" he said.
but my mind must have been
working, because the moment I
woke up, I just had one thing In
my mind. Science was I'll"
Sick on Recital Doy
Recalling his school days. Dr..
Lapp finds some amusement IN his
present position as one Of the most
articulate spokesmen Of the scien-
tific community. II actually hated
making any, kind Of talk" he said.
when we had recital day in school,
I generally managed to get Sick"
Many Of the scientists intimate
friends share some of his amuSe-
ment, though on slightly different
plane. Ralph just isn't the kind
Of man to be q prophet Of DOOM"
one of them said. IT think one Of
his saving graces is that he has
the capacity to tell you something
completely horrible, then smile In
that jaunty way Of his, and you
get the feeling that there's some
hope after all"
DR.. Lapp left the Government In
1850 to manage a private consult
ing service for industry. which he
had established. In addition to this
Nuclear Science Service DR.. Lapp
had a good deal of writing lined up.
Since then he has turned out five
books and has three more under
way.
Somehow DR.. Lapp manages to
squeeze in time for an amazing
variety Of hobbies, which, besides
walking, include swimming, sailing,
mountain climbing, bicycling and
travel-in short, most useful and
some useless forms Of transporta-
ton. He also collects sea shells and
oriental art and has a personal re-
search project involving the dis
covery Of "the finest hot dog in
the United States" Cat present. the
best frank, he says, is to be found
in Buffalo's Polish market.)
Although DR.. Lapp's youthful
looks sometimes surprise people
meeting him for the first time, he is
quite typical Of nuclear scientists.
This art, and the men who practice
1t, are young-and have q young
outlook on life.
His Office is in his bachelor
apartment in Arlington, overlook
ing the Potomac. where he works
at q desk arrangement he has de-
signed for himself. In stocking
feet. and with o fishing cap pulled
down to shade bis eyes, he usually
spends the morning hours writing
when not on lecture tour-with
the rest of the day devoted to meet
ing and visiting with people.
Lowers and Reporters
A gregarious man, DR.. Lapp num-
bers among his favorite people
outside the world of science
lawyers and dnewspapermen; lawyers,
because he says they have precise
minds yet q great deal Of human
experience; newspapermen, because
he admires their ability 10 grasp Q
situation quickly and accurately.
Among his friends, his conversa-
ton free-wheels over q range Of
self-deprecating jokes to the quality
Of Chinese prints. In atomic mat
ters, his intimates have noted o
new theme and an indication Of
more bad tidings.
A friend of the doctor remarked:
"Ralph's been SO cheerful. lately,
that / get the notion he's prepar-
ing us for some more news-and
he can bring you the worst news
Of any man alive"
In an article last week n LIE
Magazine. Dr.. LApp revealed that
two Russian supsrbombs have been
exploded m recent months. 1f1as
news-nevag annosnoed efiCiAAg by