DESIGNS OF A-WEAPONS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27369, 7 June 1954, Page 9

DESIGNS OF A-WEAPONS

Exchange Appeal To Congress

(Rec. 10 pm.) WASHINGTON, June 4. The United States Defence Department appealed today to Congress for authority to give the Allies of the United States information on the desten and fabrication of atomic weapons.

Under the proposal laid before the Joint Congressional Atomic Energy Committee, the President of the United States would decide how far the eminent should go in providing such information to help safeguard American security. Mr Donald Quarles, Assistant Defence Secretary for Research, told the committee the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff could not carry out their responsibility to help arm other North Atlantic Treaty nations* without a new authority. He assured the committee there was no idea of surrendering important secrets on the manufacture of atomic weapons. On the other hand, he said, the plan would enable Allied military leaders to make maximum use of atomic weapons. Mr Quarles said a proposed revision of the 1946 Atomic Energy Act now pending before the committee would be too restrictive because It would give America’s Allies information only on the external size, weight and shape, of existing atomic weapons. Under this , revision, no weapons information could be given to the Allies unless such action was approved by the and submitted to the committee during a 30-day waiting period. Mr .Quarles, who testified for the Defence Secretary (Mr Charles Wilson), requested that the 30-day waiting period be eliminated.