ATOMIC FORCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23288, 25 August 1945, Page 5

ATOMIC FORCE

Commercial Use A Century Off Opinion Of Sir George Thomson By Telegraph—N.Z. Press, assn.—Copyright LONDON. August 23. Sir George Thomson, head of the British scientists who worked on the production of the atomic bomb, said he could not see the atomic force being used in motor-cars or aeroplanes for about a century. He added that moralists who were proclaiming against the wickedness of the bomb's use were wrong. It was much better mat the atmomic bomb shoukl have been used and its power shown than that it should have been developed by various Governments in competition and made secretly without any knowing whether its rival was on the point of success, or if the weapon really had the power expected from it or not. It at least was known what to expect, and the knowledge would be the greatest force for peace and sanity. He did not agree that these advantages could be possessed if scientists had refused to develop it. They had pressed on with desperate energy to develon their knowledge, the object being to finish off the Japanese war. "Except for the local i'adio activity, the effects of the atomic bomb are completely harmless until the moment of detonation,” says the "New York Herald-Tribune” in a leading article. There would seem to be no way in which a defender could explode them prematurel". and no technical reason why the United States should not manufacture and store enough of them to blow half the world's cities to bits at a few hours’ notice. Peaceable uses for the new power were less immediately promising. There was no present prospect of chaining and utilising tlie energy released by the bomb. Control of Science “It is the Government’s aim in the world organisation that we should eliminate the desire to exploit the discoveries of science lor war and turn them into channels where they can serve humanity,” declared Mr Ernest Bevin in the House of Commons, winding up the debate on the United nations’ Charter. Mr Bevin added that the advent of the atomic bomb and other forms of explosives made it apparent that in iuture statesmen would have to be more conscious of the necessity of making the world organisation operate than of merely formulating rules. It was not only the atomic bomb but the whole advance of science in the field of war which must be controlled. This wag the world organisation's task. Policy made wars, not intentions alone. It was the Government’s duty to try to ensure that the policy which Britain and the world followed did not lead back to war. They had to remove the intention to go to war and direct tne mind of collective Governments to the ideal of peaceful settlement based on economic and social justice. He had been asked, "Why not give the secret of the atomic bomb to the Big- Three?” His answer would be: “To whom are we to give secrets? Merely to three or five or to the world organisation? I think we must postpone consideration of this question until the world organisation is established, and we can see clearly how the matter stands.’’ Human Advancement Mr Bevin added that they must aim at turning the attention of the peoples cf the world toward the immense powers of modern science to serve human advancement. Scientists did not set out to split the atom for the purposes of war. He was perfectly certain that the New Zealander, the late Lord Rutherford, had not any idea of war, only scientific curiosity, in order to master the forces of nature. Mr Bevin concluded: "I should like to see the Charter placed in every church, parish hall and trade union t’.jnch wherever the public assemble, in order to remind them of their moral obligation to back international law.”