Evening star., 1955-01-29
Acc Predicts
Atomic
Developments
Cheaper H-Bombs
And Guided Missiles
Head Speculation
By Fronk Corey
Assoeiotsd Press Science wdtsr

The Atomic Energy Commis-
sion said today results of its 1854
hydrogen and atom bomb tests
have steered it into new areas
of research :. that hold promise
of additional major develop
Inents."
In its semiannual report to
Congress the commission said it
is moving also toward another
result: THE stockpiling of weap-
ons adding large potential to our
defensive power"
The report gave no details OF
the results obtained at the Pa,
cific proving ground in the Mar
shall Islands, where Operation
Castle" was conducted in the
spring of 1854. But it said that
1.-The evaluation of the results :.
confirmed the pre-CaStle promise
Of most significant progress In
design. development and proof
test of weapons.
New Tests Scheduled. !.
It reported also it Is about
reaEly for a new series of tests.
scheduled next month In Nevada.
presumably dealing with less
powerful atomic weapons and
their application to tactical use.
The new tests are required"
the commission said, ito obtain
scientific knowledge essential to
development and utilization Of
nuclear weapons for defense of
this nation and the free world"
The Acc gave not even hint
Of what it is working on in the
hydrogen weapons field, but
there is ground for speculation
that it involves work toward:
l.. New and cheaper tech-
niques for making H-bomb, in-
cluding dispensing with the
A-bomb trigger now required to
explode them.
2. New varieties Of hydrogen
weapons, including warheads for
intercontinental guided missiles.
The commission devoted only
a small portion OF its report to
the military applications Of nu-
clear energy, and Of necessity
avoided disclosing secrets In
what it did say.
Details on Other Phases.
1t went into more detail on
other phases Of its work--deyel-
opment Of new types Of atomic
reactors. medical developments,
research activities and Its ad-
ministration of the program
which has cost the Government
more than sI3 billion to date.
Among other highlights OF the
report:
/. In the commission's view,
the event of greatest signifi-
canoe" in the last six months
was the enactment of the new
tonic energy law placing
added emphasis on the develop
ment of peacetime uses of atomic
energy" including the quest for
economic industrial power from
the atom.
2, Both domestic and foreign
production of raw uranium ore
increased, and mined ore is cur
rently piling up faster than 1t
can be processed into working
materials. Processing plants are
being expanded and new ones
are in prospect.
3. Production Of the pay-oR
materials of atomic energy ~
uraniun-235. plutoniurn, and
explosive Observation-Disclosures
to equal or exceed established
schedules"
4. Important advances came
out Of physical research, includ-
ing fabrication Of an atomic en-
ergy by-product into q new po-
tential weapon for the war on
cancer. Two half-dollar size pei
lets of radioactive "cesium"--a
rare earth element--were pre-
pared at a cost of several thou
sand dollars" but pack the ra-.
dioactiye punch Of more than
$40 million worth of radium."
ODM Given Information.
Acc said 1t has furnished the
Office OF Defense Mobilization
the latest information on the
effects Of "high-yield weapons"