Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-07

dismiss the sputniks as play
toys.
II the Soviet policy is correct
in its approach. however. then
we face the Judgment that our
own position may be tragic.
At root. this Congress must
before II does much else
decide which approach is cor
rect. II the Soviet Is wrong.
then we would be wrong to
undertake any sort of great
acceleration solely TO produce
counteTparts for the visible
Soviet achievements. II the
Soviet is correct, then we would
again be wrong to limit our
response to nothing more than
a stride-for-stride matching
OF their progress.
Budget Limitation
From the evidence accu-
mulated. we do know this: The
evaluation Of the importance
Of control Of outer space made
by us has not been based pri-
marily on the judgment Of men
most qualified to make such
an appraisal.
Our decisions. more often
than not. have been made
within the framework Of the
Governments annual budget.
This control has. again and
again. appeared and recap
peared As the prime limitation
upon our scientific advance
ment.
Against this view. we now have
on the record the appraisal Of
leaders In the field OF science.
respected men Of unquestioned
competence. whose valuation Of
what control Of outer space
means renders irrelevant the
bookkeeping concerns Of fiscal
officers.
The testimony Of the scien-
fists is this
Control of space means con-
troll OF the world. far more GER
tainly. far more totally than
any control that has ever or
could ever be achieved by veap-
onS. or by troops Of occupation.
From space. the masters OF
infinity would have the power
to control the earth's weather.
to cause drouth and flood. TO
change the tides and raise the
levels Of the sea. TO divert the
gulf stream and change tenn
perate climates to frigid.
Need Space Control
The meaning is. 70 my
limited view. quite clear.
We have. for many years.
been preoccupied with weap-
ons.
We are. even now. concerned
with what some currently re-
gard as the ultimate weapon
But. when We perfect such a
weapon for ourselves We may
still be far behind.
The urgent race We are now
in-or which We must enter
is not the race to perfect long
range ballistics missiles.
There is something more i'm
portant than any ultimate
weapon. That Is the ultimate
position-the position Of total
control over earth that lies
somewhere out in space.
This Is the future, the dis
tant future. though not so dis
tant as we may have thought
Whoever gains that ultimate
position gains control. total
control. over the earth. for pur-
poses of tyranny or for the
service OF freedom.
Work Of Committee
Where do we now stand?
Let me summarize briefly
the work of your committee.
Our staff has spent more
than so days in intensive prep
aration for hearings which nov
have filled nearly 1000 pages
OF transcript. Thirty-four wit
nesses have been heard before
the committee. In addition. /
the staff has conducted $50 70
200 interviews with individuals
concerned with the missile and !
satellite programs. Searching
missionaries have been sent |
to industrial organizations. |
leading scientists and engineers,
and leading educators.
An effective. comprehensive
and important Job has been
done. Credit OF the highest
order is due each member of
the subcommittee Of both par
ties. Seldom have seen men |
work with greater dedication; |
the debt due them is great. |
Likewise. the effectiveness and |
thoroughness Of the commit