BE PREPARED

Evening Star, Issue 25895, 12 September 1946, Page 7

BE PREPARED

Policy Against Atomic Attack Only Negative Precautions Posssible (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 1 1. Colonel Bradley Dewey, addressing the American Chemical Society at Chicago, read portion of an atomic report by the Joint Chiefs of Staff which hitherto had been held secret. The main purport -asserted that “ national security dictates the adoption of a policy of instant readiness to defend ourselves vigorously against atomic attack at any time.” The report said the atomic weapon had not altered the enduring principle that offensive strength was the best defence, therefore so long as atomic bombs could conceivably be used against America there must be continued production of atomic material and rese'arch and development in all fields. Colonel Dewey explained that there was no positive defence against nuclear fission except negative precautions such as keeping at safe distance. He pointed out that over an area of several square miles steel and concrete walls would crack and bulge. He was of the opinion that atomic wars did not necessarily mean the extinction of civilisation, but could mean shorter wars and wars less destructive to civilisation.