Islanders’ Petition On H-Bomb

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27367, 4 June 1954, Page 11

Islanders’ Petition On H-Bomb

(Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 2. The United States informed the United Nations Trusteeship Council today that it would have no objection to discussion of the recent petition of the Marshall Islanders complaining about the effect of the American hydrogen bomb tests in the Pacific.

The United States administers the Marshall Islands as part of the Pacific Trust territories which were formerly under Japanese control. The bomb test sites of Eniwetok and Bikini are part of the Marshalls. In their petition the islanders said that inhabitants of two of the atolls in the Marshalls, namely Rongelab and Uterik, had suffered in varying degrees from “lowering of blood count, burns, nausea and the falling off of hair from the head,” after one of the H-bomb tests.

It asked that experiments in the area be discontinued, or, if that were not possible, that all possible precautionary measures should be taken to safeguard the inhabitants of the islands.

Dr. Miquel R. Urquia (El Salvador) today was chosen President of the council in succession to Mr L. K. Munro (New Zealand).

Helicopters for British Services.— More than 200 new helicopters have been ordered by Britain's three fighting services to be supplied within 18 months, the Society of British Aircraft Constructors stated today. One hundred will be used for communication, and rescue work, and the other 100 for anti-submarine work and some for general duties with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.—London, June 2.