DR. OPPENHEIMER SUSPENDED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27366, 3 June 1954, Page 11

DR. OPPENHEIMER SUSPENDED

Inquiry Has Doubts About Security

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 1. A special Atomic Security Board has recommended that Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer be denied clearance to atomic secrets on the ground of security and his conduct in the hydrogen bomb programme, it was disclosed tonight.

The three-man board, headed by Gordon Gray, president of North Carolina University, found unanimously that the famed atomic scientist, who played a leading role in developing the United States atomic bomb, was a “loyal citizen and “discreet” in handling secrets.

But a two-man majority, composed of Mr Gray and Mr Thomas Morgan, a New York industrialist, said Dr. Oppenheimer showed “serious disregard” for security requirements, “susceptibility to influence” and “disturbing conduct” in the hydrogen bomb programme and lack of candour in testimony before the board.

The board’s recommendation against restoring Dr. Oppenheimer’s suspended clearance to atomic secrets is not final. It will be sent to the five-member Atomic Energy Commission for a final decision along with the recommendation of the commission’s general manager, Mr K. D. Nichols. In its decision, the board said: “We have come to a clear conclusion, which should be reassuring to the people of this country, that Dr. Oppenheimer is a loyal citizen. “If this were the only consideration, therefore, we would recommend that the reinstatement of his clearance would not be a danger to the common defence and security.” But the board majority said it had “been unable to arrive at the con-

clusion that it would be clearly consistent with the security interests of the United States to reinstate” Dr. Oppenheimer’s clearance to handle atomic secrets. The board’s decision against Dr. Oppenheimer’s reappointment was made oh these four grounds: “(1) Dr. Oppenheimer’s continuing conduct and associations hav~ reflected a serious disregard iodie requirements of the security system. “(2) We have found a susceptibility to influence which could have serious implications for the security interests of the country. “(3) Dr. Oppenheimer’s conduct in the hydrogen bomb programme has been sufficiently disturbing as to raise a doubt as to whether his future participation, if characterised by the same attitudes in a government programme relating to the national defence, would be clearly consistent with the best interests of security. “(4) We have regretfully concluded that Dr. Oppenheimer has been less than candid in several instances in his testimony before this board.” “Black Mark on Country” The dissent was' filed by Dr. Ward Evans, a scientist on the board. He said:

“Our failure to clear Dr. Oppenheimer will be a black mark on the escutcheon of our country.” Dr. Evans said Dr. Oppenheimer’s judgment “was bad in some cases and most excellent in others” during his career. “To damn him now and ruin his career and his service—l cannot do it,” he added. Mr Lloyd Garrison, one of Dr. Oppenheimer’s lawyers, noted that his client was given until June 7 to appeal against the finding to a security review board of the Atomic Energy Commission, but he said Dr. Oppenheimer was anxious to avoid further delay and was therefore requesting immediate consideration of his case by the commission itself. He requested permission to file a brief before next Monday. Mr Garrison said the case posed a serious issue of whether Dr. Oppenheimer was being “condemned for his opinions.” “How can a scientist risk advising the government if he is told that at some later day a security board may weigh in the balance the degree of his enthusiasm for some official programme?” he asked. “Surely our security requires that experts’ view’s, so long as they are honest, be weighed and debated and not that they be barred.”

The board had held hearings on charges that Dr. Oppenheimer had associated with Communists in the past and had delayed the development of the hydrogen bomb. He admitted the associations with Communists, but denied Communist Party membership. He said his arguments against the hydrogen bomb were scientific and moral, and he did not delay, its production once the former President, Mr Truman, gave the “go-ahead.”

Puerto Ricans Plead Not Guilty.— Six members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, among 17 indicted last week, pleaded not guilty today to charges of seditious conspiracy to overthrow the United States Government They were remanded for trial until August 2.—New York. June 1.