CONTROL OF ATOMIC ENERGY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23323, 5 October 1945, Page 5

CONTROL OF ATOMIC ENERGY

International Talks Urged Vital To World Peace By Telegraph —N Z Press Assn —Copyright <8.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 4. President Truman in a message to Congress recommended the establishment of an atomic energy commission appointed by the President and Congress, to control the development of atomic energy for industrial and other peace purposes. Mr Truman said he intended later to give a message dealing with the international aspects of the bomb itself. “The atomic bomb did not win the war, but certainly shortened it,” said President Truman. “The discovery of the means of releasing atomic energy began a new era in the history of civilisation, which may some day prove more revolutionary in the development of human society than the invention of the wheel, the use of metals, steam or the internal combustion engine. “We can use the knowledge we have won, not for the devastation of war, but for the future welfare of humanity “To accomplish this objective, we must proceed along two fronts—domestic and ipternational. The first is the most urgent. In the determination of domestic policy for the control and use of the development of atomic energy within the United States we cannot postpone, decisions in this field. The enormous investment we made to produce the bomb has given us two vast industrial plants in Washington and Tennessee and many associated works throughout the country. It has brought together a vast organisation of scientists, executives, industrial engineers, and skilled workers.

“Tire powers which Congress wisely gave the Government to wage the war were adequate to permit the creation and development of this enterprise as a war project. Now the enemy has

surrendered we should take immediate action to provide lor the future use of this huge investment in brains and plant.” Persons on whorfl depend the continued successful operation of plants and the further development of atomic knowledge are getting ready to return to normal pursuits. Prompt action to establish, a national policy will go a long way toward keeping the strong organisation intact. It is equally necessary to direct future research and to establish control of the basic raw materials essential to the development of this power. Whether it Is to be used for the purposes of peace or of war, atomic force in ignorant or evil hands could inflict untold disaster upon the nation and upon the world. Society cannot hope even to protect itself, much less realise the benefits of the discovery, unless prompt action is taken to guard against the hazards of misuse. “I urge as a first measure in the programme of utilising our knowledge lor the benefit of society that Congress should enact legislation to fix a policy respecting our existing plants, and the control of all sources of atomic energy and all the activities connected with its development, and in the United States the legislation should give jurisdiction for these purposes to an Atomic Energy Commission with members appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. International Phase “The other phase of the problem is the question of the International control of the development of this newlydiscovered energy. The release of atomic energy in international relations constitutes a new force too revolutionary to consider in the framework of old ideas. We can no longer rely on the slow progress of time to develop a programme of control among the nations. Civilisation demands that we shall reach at the earliest possible date a satisfactory arrangement for the control of this discovery, so that it may become a powerful and forceful influence towards the maintenance of world peace, instead of an instrument of destruction. “Scientific opinion appears to be practically unanimous that the essential theoretical knowledge upon which the discovery was based is already widely known. There is also substantial agreement that foreign research can come abreast of our present theoretical knowledge in time. The hope of civilisation lies in international arrangements looking, if possible, to a reduction of use and development of the atomic bomb and directing and encouraging the use of atomic -tiergy and all future scientific information towards peaceful humanitarian ends. “The difficulties in working out such arrangements are great. The alternative to overcoming them, however, may be a desperate armament race, which might well end in disaster. The discussion of the international problem cannot be safely delayed until the United Nations organisation is functioning and in a position adequately to deal with it. “I propose that these discussions will not be concerned with disclosures relating to the manufacturing processes leading to the production of the atomic bomb itself. They will constitute an effort to work out arrangements covering the terms underi which international collaboration and exchange of scientific information might safely proceed.”

No Defence Against Atom Bomb

Danish Scientist’s View <11.15 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, Oct. 4. Professor Niels Bohr, one of the leading scientists in the development of the atomic bomb, last night told fellow-scientists here that he believed there was no possible defence against the weapon. Giving the first idea of the fantasticeffort required to produce atomic energy Professor Bohr said it required a big factory with an extensive laboratory to produce one-millionth of a milligram of the special uranium used. “The United States can produce three kilograms daily, but you never saw the like of the plants required to do so.”