Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-22

Union showed on Jet DomDerS com.
parable to our own medium range
BAT and our long-range B-52.
Again free world intelligence was
amazed, particularly at the size
Of the Russians jet engines, which
apparently developed about twice
the thrust Of our own best let en-
gines. This was proof that Soviet
air technology was pulling abreast
OF ours. But American optimists
stoutly maintained that our assem-
bly, lines could still outstrip the
Soviet Unions.
0 On May Day 1885,. the Reds
pulled another surprise. They
showed of both medium and long
range jet bombers in operationai
numbers, strongly implying that
they were matching our assembly,
line capabilities as we'll. At the
same time the Communists few O
new day fighter in large numbers.
All-weather interceptors appeared
In operational force. The latter are
apparently better than. any we have
in combat units.
o Last fall the National Security
Council was reported to have COM
pleted a survey showing the Soviet
pool Of scientists and engineers
would be so much larger than ours
by 1860 that the Kremlin would
have a chronological superiority
over the United States comparable
to ours over them up to now.
Senator Henry M. Jackson. q
Democratic member of the key
Senate Armed Services and Joint
Atomic Energy Committees has
warned
"All the evidence indicates that
the Russians have been able to
move from the design of prototype
aircraft TO mass production models
more quickly than we have. In
other words they now appear TO be
our superiors in the very teciniques
for which America has always been
famous-quickly tooling UP for
mass production.
ITO cite an example. Our work
4. on the B-52 bomber began In 1948.
1t was first tested In 1852. First
production started in the spring OF
1854. The comparable Soviet plane
the Type 37-was apparently de-
signed In 1850. 1t was tested In
1858 and produced in quantity in
1854. Although the United States
had production facilities for a Jet
bomber that the Soviet lacked, they
gained at least two years on us in
this race" ..
The Race for Space
Today giant helium- filled ball
looms. called Moby Dicks. are roam
ing the high-altitude skies over
this country. around 100000 feet
UP. inspiring many flying saucer
story. These balloons are carrying
mice and monkeys and fruit flies
now. probing mysteries Of the outer
atmosphere. But very soon they
are expected to carry humans. The
age Of manned space flight Is at
hand.
But the cautious official approach
to this new era has kept space
flight In the science fiction. pulp
magazine stage for most Americans.
Another example. While many
reputable scientists worry out loud
about the genetic effects Of atomic
radiation on future generations, the
persistent official administration at
titude is calm confidence. The pub
lie wonders whom to believe. What
the Government has not publicized
is the results Of one Of its labora-
tory tests In which group Of fruit
flies were subjected to lombard
ment of gamma rays. Subsequent
generations sired by these fruit flies
were born without wings. Others
could not walk, some grew up dis
torted physically-most Of the off,
spring Of the treated" flies had
something wrong with them.
The Soviet Peril
Meanwhile. the well-disciplined
Soviet dictatorship has just an
nounced q new series of crash pro-
grams with the frank intention Of
overtaking the dwindling techno-
logical lead of the United States.
According to Soviet Academy Of
Science President Alexander N.
Nesmeyanov. quoted in Pravda, the
Reds are working on solar energy.
high-speed calculators, new uses Of
transistors, atomic industry. and
chemical chain reactions" mean
ing perhaps thermonuclear power.
There are those who argue that
following UP each American or So
Wet scientific breakthrough with a
crash program is too expensive for
the American taxpayer. Yet the
United States economy Is at least
three times the size Of the Soviet
Unions. Most economists agree
that the Kremlin would be the first
to be forced to step down from the
arms race pace II the American
economy ever turned on the heat.
And until the Soviet Union does
ease of almost all strategists say
the United States dare not. Ad-
ministration leaders still claim, de-
spite. the repeated instances of sur
prise Soviet accomplishments. that
the United States total military posi-
ton is formidably superior to the
Soviet Unions. y.
What the relative positions are,
and what the American responses
to the intensified Soviet challenge
are likely TO be in 1856 win DO ex-
amined beginning next week.