Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-27
Final Decision
1oDrop Jupiter
Missile Denied
By JOHN A. GILES

Range 1500 niles BalliStic
Missile despite Defense Secre-
tary Wilson's statement yester-
day that the project had been
cancelled"
At the same news conference,
his first since october 6, Mr..
Wilson said he thought the Air
Forces atomic powered airplane
would need "a miracle or two" to
make it work.
There were a number of ques-
tons about the status of the
Jupiter project and finally a
reporter said the inference
seemed to be the missile might
be cancelled.
Mr.. Wilson replied:
The Jupiter is cancelled. as
a matter of fact. /. the weapon
that might finally be built for
development might have some of
the principles whic hwere de-
veloped in the testing Of the
Jupitr.r
Thor Project is Similar
He went on to explain that
the Air Force has a similar prof.
ect named Thor. From the
knowledge gained from these
parallel projects, one missile will
finally be developed and put into
production, he said.
In other words, the final on
spring Of the combined effort
is going to be that we are only
going to make one. the Secre-
tary said, adding that the de-
cision did mean that the Jupiter
had been cancelled I'm effect"
But the Army today said that
headline stories stating that
the Jupiter is cancelled are mis-
leading.
Both projects will continue
side by side" it continued. AT
some future date an evaluation
Of the capabilities Of the two
missiles will be made and only
at that time viii lone or the
other be discontinued"
November Orders Recalled
Last November Mr.. Wilson
issued an order reassigning Mill
tary roles and missions. 1t
stated that the Army would not
participate in the long-ranee
missile warfare such as the in
termediate range. This did have
the effect of canceling the
Jupiter project but the research
and testing of the giant weapon
still is going on at Redstone
Arsenal in Alabama.
Mr.. Wilson in commenting on
the atom plane said that he and
Air Secretary Quarles feel GER
tain that enough money is being
used on the project.
Chairman Russell OF the Sen
ate Armed Services committee
has demanded that more money
be applied to the project.
THE less q man knows about
the matter, the more he Is cer-.
tain We are making a mistake. :"
Mr.. wilson said. Secretary
Quarles has told me he wishes
he was as certain about q lot
of other things as he is about
what we are doing about the
atomic powered plane.
1T is still in the preliminary
design, development and imagi-
nation stage
Russell Backs Funds
The development Of the plane
has been stretched out" or de-
layed as several technical difti-
culties have been encountered.
Senator Russell has criticized
this action and has announced
that he will attempt to insert
additional funds in the budget
for the plane.
Mr.. Wilson said too many
people think atomic power is
wonderful, when the real ques-
ton is what kind Of plane you
will have"
The Secretary refused to COM
ment on charge said 10 be con-
tanned IN the letter that his
order favored the A. c. Spark
plug Division Of General Motors,
which he formerly headed, on
grounds that an Army pre-trial
investigation was underway. The
inquiry is being made to deter
mine whether the colonel. q
West Point graduate, will be
court martialled.
Wrote Explosive Letter
Col. Nickerson wrote an ex-
plosive letter to a Congressman
criticizing Mr.. Wilson's order Of
last November which gave new
roles and missions to the Armed
Services.
That order. in effect. Cancelled
the Jupiter project because 1t
took the Army out Of that field
and restricted the distance over
which 1t would be fighting in a
war. The Army will be confined
TO short range missiles.
After Col. Nickerson's letter
became known. Army Secretary
Brucker dispatched major
general TO Capitol Hill to re-
trieve all copies. In addition to
speaking of the AC Spark Plug
Division. the letter also is re-
ported to say the Wilson order
imperils national defense and
concentrates dangerously large
share Of defense industry in
Southern California.
Compromise on Guard
In his hour-long conference
Mr.. Wilson also:
l. Announced that he has APP
proved a compromise in his and
the Army's dispute with the
National 0Uard. Under the
agreement. Guard recruits will
get six months active training