AMERICA PLANNING DEFENCE AGAINST ATOM BOMB RAIDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22877, 22 February 1949, Page 7

AMERICA PLANNING DEFENCE AGAINST ATOM BOMB RAIDS

(N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright. 1 (11.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. The United States Atomic Energy Commission was preparing detailed plans for the defence of America against an atom bomb attack, said Mr. Carrol Wilson, manager of the commission, today. The commission was working in close co-operation with the national military establishment.

Mr. Wilson made the statement be-t fore -the joint Congressional Atomic Energy Committee. He said that part of the plan was to place personnel trained in the use of Geiger counters at strategic points throughout the country (these counters are used to detect radio-activity). Mr. Wilson said the Atomic Energy Commission was having trouble in finding a way to tell Americans how to protect themselves against atom bombs without letting the whole world know the methods. It was difficult to determine how far to go in making the information public. He added that the commission was collaborating with the armed forces on “Radiation Facts” a booklet which would be published soon. Mr. Melvin Price (Democrat, Illinois) urged that a general report on the Bikini atom bomb tests be made public. He added: “The public ought to know something about the awfulness of this bomb and not regard it as just another weapon. If the Russian people as well as the American people are given the full facts about the destructive potential of atom bombs, I believe a long step will be taken towards making sure there will be no future war. Powerful military leaders monopolising atomic information can do more harm to our nation than any truth about the dangers of atomic destruction and radio-activ-ity.”