Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-13
Tominq the H-Bomb?

Well over year ago in this country
there were numerous unofficial but rather
authoritative hints to the effect that the
discovery of new principles in thermo-
nuclear research strongly indicated that
the fusion process of the hydrogen bomb
could be controlled for industrial power
and other benign uses. And now at long
last, after having kept the whole subject
under the highest kind of security wraps,
the United States Atomic Energy Com
mission has at least partially confirmed
the hints-a fact full of great and hopeful
implications.
The confirmation has come from Acc
Chairman Lewis L. Strauss, chief of our
country's delegation to the current
atoms-fo peace conference in Geneva.
His remarks have followed those that
have been made over there by Sir John
Cockcroft of Britain and Professor Homi
J. Bhabha of India, both Of whom are
numbered among the worlds foremost
scientists. Professor Bhabha has fatty
predicted that within the next 20 years
hydrogen-fus energy, like atomic
fssion energy, will have been harneSSed
by man to give the world limitless
sources of benefcent power, and Sir
John and his British colleagues have not
disputed the prediction.
Mr.. Strauss has been more conServa-
tive than Professor Bhabha in comment
Ing on the subject. However, although
he has SHE'D away from time estimates
and Arm promises of ultimate success,
he has made clear that the United States
has been working on the thermonuclear-
control problem for "a considerable time"
and that progress is certainly" being
achieved even though there has as yet
been no "break-through." Clearly, II
words mean anything, this means that
the world has ample reason to drop or
drastically modify one of the basic as
sumptions hitherto applying to hydrogen
energy-namely. the assumption that the
fusion force inherent in the H-bomb,
unlike the A-bombs fission force, is too
wild and tremendous for Harvesting and
is therefore good for nothing but de-
Struction.
In revealing as much as he has about
what our country is doing in this field,
Mr.. Strauss has been at pains to empha-
size that the project lis in no way
ieopardizing the future of the reactor
program by conventional means" In
other words judging from his statement,
private companies now undertaking to
build atomic power plants need not fear
that their investments will be lost, or
that those plants will become suddenly
obsolete, II ways are found to manage
and utilize the H-bomb'S preternatural
force. The prospect apparently holds out
no threat in that sense. 1t promises only
good. AS Professor Bhabha has put it,
When we learn how to liberate fusion
energy in controlled manner, the energy
problems Of the world will truly have
been solved forever, for the fuel will
be as plentiful as the heavy water in
the oceans"
Here, once again, we have a stirring
example Of how thing that is capable
OF destroying man may at the same time
be capable Of adding intellectually to his
material well-being In sum, like the
A-bomb, the H-bomb may yet be found to
have as much good as evil In it-a Won
drous device to inspire not fear alone,
but very large measure Of hope as well.