Evening star., 1962-12-31

tific group was convened only
two months before Starfish-
apparently after the decision to
conduct the tests had been
made. This group was asked
whether the tests would sub
stantially prejudice astrophy-
sical and geophysical science,
and whether it would create a
nuclear hazard to space flights.
No Objections Reported
DR.. Van Allen reported that
the group, of which he was a
member, said it could find mo
towering scientific objections to
the test" However, he pointed
out that the study was made
virtually on the eve of the
event.
After the shot, but before the
Scientific Advisory Committee
had gathered full data, it issued
a report based on data from
the communications satellite
Telstar. This information turned
out to be wrong.
DR.. Van Allen said that is
suing the Telstar data was
very ill-advised and hasty."
I'VE we're saying in effect,
We're so sorry, fellows, the
United States has goofed again;
the effects are vastly greater
than we had anticipated" he
said.
Actually, DR.. Van Allen as
serted the creation of the lit
tie Van Allen belt-discovered
by another satellite but not by
Telstar-Was not unexpected.
The pre~shot study group had
anticipated its formation as
well as what now turns out to
be its probable lifetime of about
year, he said.
THE Telstar data was out
by a factor Of 1000 to 10000"
DR.. Van Allen declared.
Scouts Dictatorship
Although he was critical of
the scientific advisory group
and its authoritative" meth
cd Of operation, DR.. Van Allen
said he was not fearful of the
growth of a Government dicta-
torship over science.
OF big science within big
Government, he said: I'VE
have in this country a govern
mental (scientific) establish
ment so vast and so autono-
nous that it exists independ-
emily of the civilian (Scientific)
community. There are people
in the Atomic Energy Commits
sion. for example, who 60
through life and never talk to
anyone outside the Acc.
"The Government exists al
most apart from the people"
he added. One bad feature of
the Scientific Advisory Com
mittee, in DR.. Van Aliens view,
is the pressure" under which
1t works.
Haste DeplOred
"You are gathered together
at 8 or 9 o'clock in the morn
ing. and you rush to get some
thing out by mid-afternoon so
some public relations man can
make a press release before
nightfall," he said. Every
thing is very hasty. The COM
mittee is governmentally DOM
mated. and consists of people
who speak different language
even than the common man"
DR.. James Warwick, radio
astronomer of Boulder, Colo,
spoke at the same session with
DR.. Van Allen. He complained
that scientists did not receive
notification of the Starfish
test. DR.. Van Allen, however,
said he felt notice was ade-
quate and said he had "a file
folder full" Of messages on a
scientific network regarding
the forthcoming event.
In New York. DR.. I. I. Rabi,
Columbia University physicist
and consultant-at-large to the
committee, expressed surprise
at what he termed "the un-
equivocal attitude expressed by
these gentlemen CDrs. Van
Allen and Warwick" the AS
sociated Press reported.
DR.. Rabi said both scientists
know very we'll that when evi-
dence is not complete, the re-
suits cannot be accurately pre-
dicted." adding:
There are times when prac-
tical action must be taken for
various reasons. I regret that
Or. Van Allen was not con-
suited beforehand, since he
seems to be the final author
ity."