Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-26

in the Atomic Energy ACT Wnen
Congress reconvenes.
1.-THE controlling concept Of
the new legislation should be
the principle of freedom for
the fullest practicable exchange
of nuclear information with
friendly countries" he said in
q 3,5O0-word memorandum to
Committee Chairman Durham.
Democrat of North Carolina.
THE nature and extent Of
this exchange and the main
tenance of that measure Of
nuclear secrecy which is still
necessary and useful should be
committed to the Executive
Branch and made wholly q
matter of administrative discre-
ton, as it is in other areas OF
defense information"
Two Stages Proposed
The exchange of nuclear in
formation should be in two
stages, he advised. During q
first period of three to five
years 1t would be limited to
technical data on small weap-
ons such as those with explosive
power .up to the equivalent Of
1000 tons Of INT.
Thereafter the exchange
would be concerned with data
on large weapons. Those weap-
ons, however, would remain In
United States custody as would
the decision to use them. The
same distinction between large
and small weapons should also
control executive policy in set
ting up q common nuclear
stockpile for the defense of the
free world, Mr.. Murray said.
Vital Need for Unity
Mr.. Murray, conceding that
he has revised some Of his
earlier views relating to atomic
secrecy and dispersal Of infor-
nation, said his present recon-
mendations result to q consid-
cradle extent from evidence Of
Soviet scientific achievements.
But on a larger plane, he said,
he is convinced that q new
controlling philosophy is essen
tial "for the unity Of the free
world in nuclear affairs"
Contending that. recent So
Wet scientific as well as propa-
ganda moves created q new
and complex situation in which
secrecy as such cannot be the
prime consideration. Mr.. Muir
ray continued:
This fact will be evident on
a brief analysis Of the political
significance Of the Soviet sue
cess in launching two earth
satellites. In our present mat
ter, its effect has been to UNI
dermine the self-evidtnt case
for past policy Of maximum
nuclear secrecy"
Poses Fundamental Factor
He insisted that the funda-
mental question is far deeper
than who is ahead or who is
behind" in a specific type Of
scientific display.
"The essential new fact" he
declared, lis that the Soviet
establishment is now so far
advanced in all the basic scien-
tific Observation-Disclosures
physics, chemistry = and is
likewise so far advanced in all
their applications to engineer
ing research and development
that the Soviet government has
within its reach all the achieve
ments that it may require for
the furtherance of its military
and political intentions.
1.-THE new situation is there
fore defined by saying that
both the United States and the
Soviet Union are now. for all
practical purposes. scientifically
omnipotent. That is, in the
fields Of science and technology.
both we and they are inherently
capable. of doing anything that
either we are they are firmly
enough determined to do. No
achievement can be denied
either to us or to then"
Warns Against Imitation
Mr.. Murray explained that
he did not mean that the
Soviet Union can be considered
"omnipotent" in concepts such
as political intelligence. culture
religion! He warned against
imitation of the Soviet Union
on materialistic and regi-
mented grounds.
1T may well be that the
Soviet Union will be brought
to its downfall in consequence
of its attempt to build a purely
scientific culture from the top
down under concentrated gov
ernmental direction" he re-
marked. at would be folly
for the United States to- initiate
this basically fallacious expert
ment."
The United States, he urged,
nevertheless must make adj
justments such as providing
for a reasonable and prac-
ticable exchange Of nuclear
information with friendly coun-
tries and by easing nuclear
secrecy regulations.