ATOMIC POWER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26081, 19 February 1946, Page 5

ATOMIC POWER

A DANGEROUS SECRET ILLUSION OF SAFETY SCIENTISTS LOOK AT FUTURE LONDON, Feb 17. A country which blindly relied on its stock of atomic bombs for its security might find the bombs proved as much an illusion as the “ line of concrete did in 1940,” said Professor Joliot (France) in a speech at the Science Conference. War, with the development of secret arms, could become so secret that men would know nothing of its start. Countries with more secret, terrible, and treacherous arms might wage war, and cause drought, fires, and famine, Professor Joliot said he considered the position the United States had taken of keeping atomic bomb secrets as a means of pressure was very dangerous. The progress of civilisation might be slowed down, even halted, J such secrecy was extended to other sciences. Professor Julian Huxley, executive secretary of the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organisation, said he hoped there would be strong representation of applied and industrial science on U.N.E.5.C.0., which would stand strongly against any idea of scientific secrecy. Dr John A. Simpson, representing the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, advocated the establishment of some international law to offer protection to any scientist who reported where any unauthorised work was in progress. He urged the inspection of mines in all countries and a checking up of the work of all scientific and technical personnel in order to ensure that no unauthorised production of nuclear energy was going on. The longer this was delayed the more difficult would it be to discover if and where it was occurring. Mr L. J. Solley, Labour M.P. 4 referring to the alleged spy ring in Canada seeking atomic secrets, said: “A witch hunt is beginning in Canada. It is a very serious thing for scientists. The more anti-Soviet the policy of our Government the more this anti-Soviet propaganda makes certain of our frontbenchers being incapable of taking a scientific view of our relationships.”