USE OF ATOMIC POWER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25090, 23 January 1947, Page 7

USE OF ATOMIC POWER

EXPERTS’ OPINIONS ON DEVELOPMENT NEW U.S. CONTROL PLAN REPORTED (Rec. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 21. United Nations experts on atomic energy declare that there is no chance that atomic power will deprive employees of their jobs or threaten the existing electrical industry for at Iqast 10 years. They add that it is extremely improbable that in this generation atomic power can revolutionise the cost of power or displace coal as fuel. The United Nations Economic and Employment Committee has decided that it would be premature to assess the consequences of atomic power upon world economy or employment. The “New York Times” says that a new approach to the enforcement of international control of atomic energy is being considered by the United States. The plan would give the international atomic inspection agency and not the Security Council the right to declare that there had been serious violation of the proposed control agreement calling for "condign” punishment. Individual members of the United Nations after that would be authorised to declare war on the violator pending action by the Security Council.

The plan had the advantage of not requiring an amendment to the United Nations Charter to restrict the use of the veto and thus might have a better chance of being accepted by Russia which is adamant against any change in the veto power. Mr Bernard Baruch, formerly chief United States delegate on the Atomic Energy Commission, is reported to approve the plan in principle as do Mr John Foster Dulles and other Republican experts in foreign policy.