APPEAL MADE TO RUSSIA

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27734, 11 August 1955, Page 13

APPEAL MADE TO RUSSIA

“Foolproof Atom Control Plan” (N.Z. Press Association -Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. August 10. Mr. Bernard Baruch, the United States elder statesman, last night appealed directly to the new leaders of the Soviet Union to accept a safe and foolproof system of inspection and control ’of nuclear energy. Thh would pre-, vent the “fall-out of perpetual fear from settling on each of us.” Mr Baruch, who presented the first proposal for control of atomic energy to the United States, warned that the longer Moscow waited before agreeing to such a system, the more difficult the problem would become. He said the world could move forward with peaceful development of nuclear'energy to reach new marvels, or wait until even the smallest nations have atomic bombs?” “What will be the number of ‘atomic possessing' nations five or ten years from now?” he asked. “And what would happen to the so-called balance of power which the big nations devised if even .the smallest country had its equal share in atomic bombs?” Mr Baruch made his appeal to the Russian leaders in a radio address. . “If I may use this means to address myself to the new Russian leadership,” he said, “I would voice this plea:—Do not wait so long that atomic energy becomes uncontrollable. “Do not lose for the world what opportunity still exists to bring atomic weapons under control and to prevent the ‘fallout’ of perpetual fear from settling on each of us. “What magic lies within our reach,” he said. “Atomic energy could provide the vast sources of power needed to distill ocean waters for irrigation and to extract its great mineral wealth. “New crops, new fruits, new homes and cities could arise like magic in now what are dry deserts. “Through the knowledge gained from atomic isotopes, we may resolve the riddle of how plants catch sunlight and produce food—photosynthesis a? this process is called.”