MEETING ATOMIC ATTACK

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25736, 23 February 1949, Page 5

MEETING ATOMIC ATTACK

PLANS BEING MADE IN U.S. DOUBT ABOUT GIVING FACTS TO PUBLIC (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 21. The United States Atomic Energy Commission was preparing detailed plans for the defence of America against atom bomb attack, said Mr Carrol Wilson, manager of the commission, to-day. The commission was working in close co-operation with the national military establishment. Mr Wilson made this statement before the joint Congressional Atomic Energy Committee. He said that part of the plan was to place people trained in the use of Geiger counters at strategic points throughout the country. (These counters are used to detect radio-activity.)

The Atomic Energy Commission was having trouble in finding a way to tell Americans how to protect themselves against atom bombs without letting the whole world know its methods. It was difficult to determine how far to go in making information public. He added that the commission was collaborating with the armed forces on a booklet to be called “Radiation Facts.” Mr Melvin Price (Democrat, Illinois) urged that «a general report on the Eikini atom bomb tests be made public. He added: “The public ought to know something about the awfulness of this bomb, and not regard it as just another weapon. If the Russian people, as well as the American people, are given the full facts about the destructive potential of atom bombs. I believe a long step will have been taken towards making sure that there will be no future war.

“Powerful military leaders monopolising atomic information can dp more harm to our nation than any truth about the dangers of atomic destruction and radio-activity.”