U.S. HAS NOT YET PRODUCED THE HYDROGEN BOMB

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1950, Page 5

U.S. HAS NOT YET PRODUCED THE HYDROGEN BOMB

Is Wel! Ahead In Atomics WASHINGTON. Oct. 30 (Ree. 6 pin).—Mr. (Jordon Dean, chairman of the United Stales Atomic Energy Commission, said today that th*.' commission had not yet produced the hydrogen bomb and was uncertain whether it could. “It is not a simple job. but we ire just as much interested in finding 1 out that it won’t work as that it will,” Mr. Dean said. He added that the Soviet Union had the scientific talent and facilities required to conduct research that would show whether it was possible to make the hydrogen bomb.

Mr. Dean made his statements in an interview published in the magazine “United States News and World Reports.” He said it would be foolish to minimise the effectiveness of the atomic bomb that the Soviet already had produced. The United States should respect the Soviet . achievement. He was confident, however, that the United States was still well ahead of the Soviet in atomic weapons development. He said it was conceivable that some smaller countries could develop the atomic bomb within 10 years. “Some of them have very able scientists who could build an atomic ■ pile today without any question,” Mr. ! Dean said. I The United States should have I atomic-powered submarines ready for ’ Navy tests within a few years. 'American scientists were workfrig hard also on a lightweight atomic en- * gine for aircraft, and they were be(Coming more hopeful of success.