Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-26
THE NEW FoRcEs-
Mystery Of the Warming World

land IN even iow-iying coastal
regions. II II promises to turn
fertile valleys 70 arid wastes or
make temperate zones tropical
then stringent regulation is on
the horizon for Coz producers.
Even II no noticeable physical
change were In sight for another
100 years. the control Of coz
exhaust would have to begin much
earlier-possibly within a decade
Of the time the gas Is identified
as the villain.
We then would see a type Of
control. regulation. law. interstate
compact and international agree
ment which could scarcely help
clashing with some Of our cher
ished notions Of free enterprise.
Industry. which might blossom
In some directions due to new
engineering concepts. would be
hamstrung In others. Capital
and capital equipment might be
subjected TO such sudden shifts
and tremors. including obs0les-
cehce. Is 10 require bolstering
from government. The training,
transformation and replacing Of
the national labor-management
force could cause widespread
changes In our economic and
family patterns. as well as other
social values. Concepts Of in.
surance. liability. agency, con-
tractural integrity might be ex-
posed TO such forceful and vari-
able pressures as to demand
near total retaliation in the
courts. Public restitution for out
NODDED private property might be
demanded. Technical changes
might be dictated by ordinance.
What concrete steps could be
taken to cut down on Goa out
put? Automobiles could be re-
quired to carry after-burners to
insure total eradication OF COZ
Diesel engines on vehicles could
be entirely prohibited and the ex-
haust Of stationary ones specially
treated. Fuels such as p pane
could be required for certain
types OF internal combustion en-
gines. In factories, centrifugal
dust-settling processes could be
required or as alternatives, LIQUID
gas solvents or high-voltage cleo
trostatic precipitators. But these
are all expensive devices which
the economy might not be able
to support.
International Aspects
Further, in view Of the elobal
nature Of the problem. ordinary
international agreements might
prove inadequate for effective
regulation. II so. penalties for
violation Of the new controls, while
not necessarily severe in regard to
personal freedom or fines, conceive
ably might have TO be geared 10
complaints and evidence produced
In foreign lands by foreign ON
Gals. This would be a far-reachinR
politico-legal step and one sure
TO foster great heat and con-
troverSy.
Perhaps the most disturbing
element in the picture lies less
In the possibility Of enforced
worldwide industrial change than
In the fact that q benign aIterna-
tive power does not now exist.
Or. Plass. In q special study Of
the problem done for the Once
Of Naval Research in 1856, notes
the dilemma:
Two Of the most important
methods available ct present for
generating large amounts OF power
have serious disadvantages when
used over long time intervals. The
burning Of fossil fuels increases
the temperature Of the earth
from the coz effect: the use Of
nuclear reactors increases the
radioactivity Of the earth. It is
difiicult to say which OF these
effects would be the less objec-
tionable after several centuries Of
operation"
Thus the ultimate answer TO
the Goa threat may turn out to
be something even more esoteric
than either the flssion or the
fusion Of the atom.