Evening star. [volume], April 16, 1948, Page A-8, Image 8

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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1 FRIDAY, April It, 1048
Spare the Rod
There may be ample room—in places
other than the House of Representatives—
for honest difference of opinion as to the
merits or otherwise of the 70-group Air
Force program. But there ought not to
be any doubt as to the correctness of
Secretary of Air Force Symington's posi
tion in this matter.
The issue, stated in oversimplified
terms, is whether we should have the
•'balanced" armed force program advo
cated by the President and Secretary of
Defense Forrestal or the “big air force"
program for which the House has voted.
The vote, incidentally, was 343 to 3, the
dissents coming from those conspicuous
left-wingers, Representatives Marcantonio,
Isacson and Powell.
In his recent appearance before the
House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Sy
mington, in response to questions, de
parted from the Truman-Forrestal “line.”
An Air Force of 70 groups, he said, is more
important to the country’s security than
Is universal military training.
President Truman, speaking emphat
ically, told his press conference yesterday
that he is supporting to the limit the For
restal program for a balanced military
team, including only 55 air groups. He did
not know, he said, why Mr. Symington had
differed with the administration's recom
mendations as to the size of the Air Force,
and when he was asked whether he
planned to spank Mr. Symington, the
President said he would answer that
Question later.
This obviously Implies that Mr. Syming
ton is in the presidential dog house. But
there can be no excuse whatsoever for
"spanking” him.
When a member of the cabinet is called
before a committee of Congress and asked
for an opinion on a matter within his
official sphere, it is his clear duty to
answer candidly and fully. It is Congress
which must make the final decision, and
to do that intelligently it must have all
of the information and opinion it can get.
The President has no right to prevent
Congress from getting this information,
and he would have even less justification
for spanking any member of his admin
istration for stating his opinion to Congress
when called upon to do so.
Russian Veto on Trieste
The Soviet government's emphatic re
jection of the proposal by the Western
Powers for a "Big Four” conference on the
return of Trieste to Italy may be con
aidered from two aspects. In the first
place, it is the latest move in the "cold
war” being waged between the Soviet bloc
and the Western democracies. In the
larger frame of reference, it typifies the
Increasing subordination of constructive
statesmanship to “power politics.”
The Moscow foreign office must have
penned its rejection with angry reluctance,
because Western diplomacy had put it
very much "on the spot.” The joint Amer
ican, British and French proposal for
Trieste's return to Italy neatly impaled
Moscow on the horns of a dilemma. To
acquiesce meant letting down its "fair
haired boy,” Marshal Tito. Red boss of
Yugoslavia and its faithful henchman, to- j
gether with a general loss of Soviet "face.-’
To reject the proposal, on the eve of the
Italian elections, meant another blow to
Communist hopes in that country—which,
of course, was what the Western proposal
was intended to do. Soviet pique is shown
In the tone of the rejection, which brands
the plan as uncalled for, unacceptable and
a violation of “the elementary principles
of democracy.”
What Moscow did not mention is the
fact that its own conduct and that of Its
Yugoslav satellite had rendered impossible
the getting up of the Trieste "Free State”
provided for in the Italian peace treaty.
Furthermore, Moscow did not mention the
fact that this provision was a compromise
agreed to reluctantly by the Western
Powers in face of Yugoslav demands for
the annexation of Trieste, backed by Mos
cow. Another omission was a reference to
the continued provocation and bad faith
shown by Tito in the interim administra
tion of the Trieste area. It is this entire
background which fully justifies the West
ern Powers in their diplomatic counter
offensive that promises to bear such good
fruit.
Yet, in the larger sense, the failure of
the Trieste "Free State" plan is a mel
ancholy commentary on the entire Euro
pean situation. For such an International
regime, if genuinely Implemented, would
best accord with economic realities. Tri
este is really International in character.
It owed its rise from an obscure fishing
Tillage to a thriving port-city because its
harbor rendered it the logical outlet for
the trade of Central Europe with the
Mediterranean. This was made possible
by the building of a trunk railway across
the mountains to the northward by the
government of Austria-Hungary, whereof
Trieste formed a part.
The destruction of that empire during
World War I left Trieste economically “in
the air.” Under the then-prevalent doc
trine of national self-determination, Tri
este was logically awarded to Italy, because
the population of the city Is overwhelm
ingly Italian In speech, culture and blood.
But Trieste as a port is not needed by
Italy. Neither is It more than a local
convenience to the adjacent part of Yugo
slavia, which has other,nearby port out
lets. And the tariff barriers set up by
both Yugoslavia and Italy gravely handi
capped the overland traffic with the
Central European hinterland, which in
cludes Austria, Czechoslovakia and even
Germany. So Trieste, despite Italy’s best
efforts, has never recovered its prosperity
of before World War I.
The logical solution of this problem
would be the creation of a free port in
Trieste, with bonded transit rights for Its
rail communications, coupled with local
autonomy for the resident population.
The ‘‘Free State” plan was theoretically a
beginning of such a solution. But the
"cold war” between East and West fore
doomed it to failure.
Atomic Ashes'
Our nuclear-fission authorities now are
beginning to talk openly about one aspect
of the atom that has received very little
publicity to date. This is the problem of
how to get rid of the refuse or waste
material accumulated in the process of
atomic production. It is not a simple prob
lem. On the contrary, as time goes on, it
is likely to become so big and difficult
that extraordinary international meas
ures will have to be taken to cope with it.
As outlined the other day to the Greater
New York Safety Council, the problem is
this: Like a coal-burning furnace, an
atomic plant leaves a residue of “ashes,”
but they are “ashes” much too hot merely
to be carted away and dumped somewhere.
They are endowed with a dangerous radio
activity that may last for thousands of
years, and they will be accumulated in
ever-increasing quantities as our own and
other nations expand operations in the
field of the atom. Right now, however, the
experts are by no means certain that they
can figure out just how and where to dis
pose of this waste in such a way as to
guarantee that it will do no harm.
The idea of digging deep holes and bury
i ing the refuse has been looked into, but it
appears to be no good. A more promising
proposal is for an international agreement
under which the radioactive waste of all
countries would be systematically gathered
together at regular intervals to be diluted
and mixed with concrete. Then, being
thus imprisoned in solid blocks, it would
be dumped into the sea far away from
land and human beings. But even this
plan is open to doubt, and some experts
have half seriously suggested that the only
solution may be to put the stuff in rockets !
and shoot it to the moon or ship it out
into space in missiles that would take
their place in the firmament as man
made satellites far removed from us.
This is all very typical of the atom.
Despite the enormous good implicit in it,
its fantastic side is so fearsomely real that
it makes peace of mind extremely diffi
cult to achieve. That states the case
mildly. As long as there is no international
agreement to control it for beneficent
j ends, poor modern man will have reason
: to wonder why he ever unloosed this thing
upon himself. The nations have a chain
reacting bear by the tail. Unless they work
together for a way out of their predica
ment, they are going to move separately
toward wrecked nerves, panic and a com
mon disaster that could conceivably'seduce
the whole world to radioactive ashes.
*
Dr. Koussevitsky s Retirement
If the retirement of Dr. Serge Kousse
vitzky from the regular leadership of the
Boston Symphony were to mean the close
of his active career as one of the truly
great musicians of his time, the event
would be an occasion for profound regret
among thousands of his admirers. But
relief from the “strenuous obligations” of
' the eighteen weeks of the annual winter
season does not signify an arbitrary end
to the master’s work. He will preside over
thirteen concerts in the 1948-1949 schedule
and then appear as a guest at intervals
with the organization he has brought to
artistic perfection during a quarter cen
tury of tireless service. Also he has an
nounced his intention to continue to direct
the enterprises of the Berkshire Center at
Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where musical
history systematically is made.
After he retires Dr. Koussevitsky will have
leisure for composition if he wishes to write,
or he may lecture if he desires to exchange
the podium for the lyceum platform. His
interest in the democratization of genius
already has prompted, him to set up a
foundation in memory of his wife “for the
further development of musical culture.”
That philanthropy might be expanded by
his own spoken Interpretation of the
recordings for which he is famous. It
would be an experience worth having to
hear him discourse on hLs conceptions of
Tschaikowsky’s Pathetique or Haydn’s
Surprise Symphony.
Much good could be accomplished in
this respect if Dr. Koussevitzky were to do
what Robert Schumann did in his Journal
between 1834 and 1844. Many people stand
in need of instruction in the values of
classic music, and if an accredited author
ity would undertake to teach them they
surely would respond with enthusiasm.
Let Them In
The House Judiciary Committee ought to
move as promptly as possible to get action
on the displaced persons bill introduced by'
Representative Fellows of Maine. The bill
—which differs substantially from the one
now being debated in the Senate—is a kind
of compromise designed to do two things:
(D To meet numerous objections to other
measures on the same subject, and 12) to
help solve a problem that Congress has
dallied with too long already.
Under Mr. Fellows’ bill, 200,000 DPs could
be admitted into the United States over a
two-year period. These emergency entries
would be charged up against future regu
lar immigration quotas to the extent of
50 per cent. In other words, in the long
run, there would be no actual increase in
the number of immigrants allowed in
under our present laws. Moreover, the bill
would give priority consideration to aliens
whose skills are needed in this country or
who are blood relatives of American citi
zens. It also would set up a number of
special safeguards to reassure anybody re
luctant to let in displaced persons on
social, economic or other grounds.
'. It njay be said of this measurV that it
contains too many restrictions. As a prac
tical matter, however, it seems to steer a
sound middle course between the extreme
of not doing anything or of doing too
little, and the extreme of proposing more
than Congress actually will grant. Cer
tainly, if something lllte it were adopted,
the tragic plight of Europe’s DPs would !
be greatly eased, and the United States
would be living up to its responsibilities
by doing £^t least as much as other nations
in a joint effort to solve the problem. It
is a problem that demands affirmative
American action; there is no excuse for
any further congressional delay.
After all. wholly apart from the compul
sions of humanitarianism, common sense
argues strongly for some such program as
the one advocated by Mr. Fellows. By do
ing nothing, by letting the DPs languish
in their bleak camps abroad, we are not
merely being un-Christian toward them
but are also continuing to burden our
selves with the costs of supporting them
in Europe. There is plenty of room for
them here. We need their skills, and they
have qualities that will make them excel
lent citizens. We ought to open our doors
to them right now.
The Moa, Yesterday and Today
It is a good idea to go slow in apprais
ing the plausibility of recent reports from
the South about a gigantic bird that is
alleged to have been cutting capers in the
Dixie skies. This particular bird was de
scribed as being larger than any ever be
fore seen by man. This statement should
have been qualified. For only a few days
later the newspapers told about the dis
covery in New Zealand of the bones of a
monstrous bird that was ten feet tall and
that weighed at least a quarter of a ton.
The New Zealand bird, known as a moa,
lived in comparatively modern times, ac
cording to Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy
of the American Museum of Natural His
tory. He found bones of an older speci
men in a swamp. He is bringing them to
the museum for study and exhibition.
Although the last of the moas presumably
was eaten by New Zealand natives some
six hundred years ago, who can prove that
some of them did not escape destruction?
Might they not have taken refuge in some
hitherto unexplored part of the world
(there are still a few of these places in
Jungle, desert and polar regions)?
At least, the big bird tales have more
of a scientific basis than those flying
saucers which were getting news head
lines last year, or the sea serpents which
will begin to appear again this summer.
The Museum of Natural History has yet
to find fragments of a flying saucer or the.
skeleton of a sea serpent.
It’S only long habit that makes the
candidate promise aid to farmers now so
wealthy they pay in money for subscrip
tions to weekly newspapers.
What's the first-aid procedure for one
trampled on in a rush—as in the case of
the winner of a house in an Eastern con
test, who already owns a house?
For faster action, on such powder kegs
as Berlin, Joe Stalin could of course switch
from the traditional pipe to the exploding
cigar. _
As between words, John L. Lewis leans
always to the longer, and when the court
pointed,- he is supposed to have blurted
"Whom? Me?”
This and That
By Charles E. Tracewcll
"FARRAGUT MEDICAL BUILDING.
"Dear Sir:
“On a recent trip through the Isle of Jamaica,
where the climate permits practically all of
the meals to be served out of doors, I was much
impressed with the friendly conduct of a large
black bird which I assumed to be our common
grackle. The yellow eye, black iridescent col
oring and curved beak seemed to me to be
typical. I did note, however, that some of the
birds seemed to have a more or less bronze spot
on the throat and upper chest. Isn’t this prob
ably the boat-tailed grackle so commonly seen
in Florida and on the Gulf Coast? These birds
did seem to be somewhat larger than the coni
mon grackle we see here.
"At several places on the Island whenever
the gong announced a meal was served, these
birds would immediately be in evidence, flying
down and alighting on the porch rail or chair
backs and even occasionally landing squarely
on the table at which people were eating to
steal bread from the bread trays.
"The mongoose which was imported into the
Island in the 1870s to eradicate the snakes
is seen scurrying across the roads in front of
the cars very much as our squirrels do here,
although the drivers say that they are very
seldom run over. So successfully have they
exterminated the snakes that the last live snake
was reported to have been seen about 20 years
ago.
"Lizards of all sizes and hues still, however,
are very abundant and probably have been
saved from extermination by their more aboreal
habits. It is difficult to see why the mongoose
should enjoy eating snakes and refuse to make
a meal off a lizard. Local bird lovers seemed
to be apprehensive, however, about the Inroads
the mongooses are making on nesting birds
and poultry. To keep them under control, the
natives have developed by careful breeding a
small dog with a very'long pointed muzzle
which is trained to stick his nose into the
burrow. The mongoose promptly fastens his
teeth in the dog’s lipe, and when the latter
naturally Jumps back to get away from this
punishment, the mongoose is dragged out with
him where he can be effectively dealt with.
“Sincerely yours, P. W., M.D."
* * * *
The sly way* of the mongoose have endeared
it to .the natives of Jamaica and of some of the
other nearby islands.
"Sly Mongoose,” in fact, is the name of the
most popular folksong of the Island.
That this viverrine animal has become a
nuisance is not to be wondered at; such is the
usual fate of imported creatures.
The common sparrow and the starling are
other instances.
Mongooses are doing damage to poultry in
Jamaica, but probably other creatures do even
more.
The viverrine animals include the civet cat.
as well as the famous "fishing cat,” often
called the viverrine cat.
* * * *
The boat-tailed grackle is sometimes called
jackdaw in the South, but it is no jackdaw, of
course but a totally different bird.
It is 16 inches long, in contrast to the 12
inches of the purple grackle.
The beat-tail has two distinguishing traits. |
One is that the female precedes the male
in the trip North.
Another is that the male deserts the female,
once Incubation starts, and gathers with other
males who have been equally untrue.
The mother birds protect, feed and train
the young, and with them finally join the
males again.
The nests are placed in colonies in reeds
among swamps, but not in the water, of
course; some nests are individualistic, put in
trees, sometimes as high as 40 feet.
The nest is large, coated with mud. and holds
three to five brown eggs, tinted with green,
and irregularly Wbtehed _with brown and
black.
Letters to The Star
Farmer’s Economic Plight
To th* Mltor of Th* Star:
I read with a great deal of interest an article
appearing in The Star for April 10 in which
M. V. Davison, manager.of National Dairy
Products Corp.’s Washington branch, dealt
very carelessly with the farmer’s money in
suggesting a reduction of one cent a quart in
milk prices, and I could not help but wonder
why he did not make his liberal offer from the
funds of his corporation whose earnings have
reached staggering proportions and from which
could be extracted one cent a quart with tar
less hardship than if taken from the farmer.
Incidentally, I wonder why a great institution
like The Star will play up such underhanded
tactics as that proposed by the National Dairy
Products Corp. without a rather thorough in
vestigation of where reductions or increases
should be allowed or tolerated. Is it an effort
to maintain the highest possible average income
to city people at the expense of farmers without
stopping to realize that the adequate purchas
ing power of fanners is all Important to a
healthy economy?
According- to the 1945 census, the average
farmer in Montgomery County had a total
income of $3,900 including proper allowance
for what they got from the farm in the way
of living costs. The same census report said
Montgomery County farmers enjoyed the
highest standard of living in the Nation. Com
pare this figure with the income of milk truck
drivers and see if their income is not higher
than this figure. The driver had no operating
costs, but the farmer had to finance his
holdings, hire at least one laborer, buy feed,
fertilizer, lime, grass seed, machinery and pay
taxes and maintain properties out of $3,900
Income.
I ask you: How much was left for the family,
after the cost of operating a farm was taken
out?
Why should the farmer’s family get up at
3 o’clock in the morning and work until late
at night producing the world’s most needed
food, if their only reward is poverty?
W. LAWSON KING.
Mr. Lawrence Criticized
To the Editor of Th* St»r:
Again and again I’ve wanted to squawk
about your columnist, David Lawrence, only,
until now, I’ve been too lazy.
I am disgusted with his bad reporting. Hardly
a week passes without his coming to a phony
conclusion based on half-information. Today’s
(April 12) column takes the cake. Brother
Lawrence talks about the wicked Army spread
ing union propaganda ("Is the Army trying to
cuddle up to the big labor unions • • •?”).
It so happens that my nephew sends me his
copy of "Army Talk” each week. And a very
fine Job it Is. The Army tries to get men to
discuss current Issues and think. That's the
difference between the United States and a
totalitarian power. We have an Army of men
who know what is happening in their country
and who will argue the pros and cons among
themselves. They know what they may some
day have to fight for. E. P. D.
Communist Doctrine Stated
To tht Editor of The Star:
There are some basic principles of Soviet
Russia's doctrine with which every American
should became familiar.
The Communist Party is the sol# ruling
party and no organized resistance is allowed.
Stalin stated in Pravda that in the Soviet
Union there is a basis only for the Communist
Party.
Stalin often is addressed in words of servile
flattery, and he may not be publicly criticized
in any manner.
‘‘Every Soviet family, school or political or
ganization is in duty bound to instill in the
Soviet youth from the earliest age those
qualities necessary to the Red soldier: Mili
tary spirit, a love of war, endurance, self-re
liance, and boundless loyalty."’ This is a di
rect quotation from Komsomolskaya Pravda,
which is the official organ of the Soviet Union
of Communist Youth.
The governments the Soviet^ Union con
trols all means of production and labor, and
also all banks and stores.
Every Soviet citizen is taught only the ideas
indorsed by the Communist Party. The govern
ment completely controls the press, schools,
radio, movies, and the theater. The military
police have the power to arrest, hold any one
indefinitely, and banish without public trial.
There is no protection against false arrest.
Political opponents have been sent to con
centration camps since the early years of the
Soviet regime. At the present time, these
camps contain about 10,000,000 people, includ
ing civilian deportees, non-Russians and war
prisoners.
The Communist Party tries to create suspi
cion against foreign countries. Very few for
eigners are allowed to enter Soviet Russia and
newspapermen who are admitted are liable
to strict censorship. The peopl! are not per
mitted to read any foreign newspapers, maga
zines or political books; and they are com
pletely Isolated from the rest of the world.
Stalin wrote the following doctrine of Social
ist, i.e. Communist, internationalism in "Prob
lems of Leninism": “The victory of social
ism in one country is not an end In itself; it
must be looked upon as a support to hasten
the* revolution in every other land.”
One of the most Important duties of Com-'
munists in every country is to work to over
throw their governments by lawful or unlawful
means. This has been stressed by the Com
munist International; and Communists
throughout the world have worked as a fifth
column for Soviet expansion.
By studying every phase of communism and
exposing the evils of this doctrine, the Ameri
can people can help to save our democracy.
Syracuse, N. Y. ALICE HANCHETT.
Trouble Caused by Poverty, Ignorance
To the Editor of The Star:
I almost fear to look at the calendar. Our
civilization is aging rapidly, and each one of
us along with it. This current week (April 11
18) seems destined to settle the destiny of our
democratic way of life. At the beginning of the
Week Colombia gave us a demonstration of un
bridled human passions. What will Italy do at
the end of the week, when her voters go to the
polls next Sunday?
It Is disconcerting that the Inter-American
Conference of Bogota, headed by Secretary of
State Marshall, should be so rudely interrupted.
This only Increases the tension developing
throughout the world.
But what is especially shocking is that
Colombian mobs, according to press dispatches,
paid no respect to churches or religious prop
erties. Having lived in Latin countries of
Europe, and In Central and South America, I
from time to time have experienced the effects
of revolutionary upheavals. But the pattern of
this Colombian revolt, as reported, was entirely
different—it had all the earmarks of a far more
excitable character.
A little background about Colombia might
be enlightening to the readers' of The Star.
Colombia broke from Catholic Spain in 1819
when Liberator Bolivar created the Republic
of Colombia. In 1903 the state of Panama
seceded from Colombia, and the United States
constructed the Panama Canal through the
Isthmus.
It is no secret that the state religion of most
Latin American countries 1# Roman Catholic,
but in 11 countries, out of 30, there is separa
tion church and state, and for the ifain
part mere Is civil liberty and freedom of rail
Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the'
writer, although it is permissible for a
writer known to The Star to use a
nom de plume. Please be brief.
(ion. But, strangely enough, the Catholic j
religion is not professed in Colombia, or the
other lands, as it is here in America, where the
Holy Scriptures are more widely known. The
common people are left in ignorance of the real
issue of moral and spiritual life; in fact, the
extent of this condition is so great that the
director of the Bogota Public Library recently
said to a friend:
“It is- time that the breeses of the Ref
ormation which have delayed so many
centuries In crossing the Atlantic, should blow
this way. Some sections of our countries still
struggle along lines of the 16th century.”
Other serious problems also confront the
rest of Latin America today. Here is the
viewpoint of Gabriels Mistral, famous Chilean
author: “Supposing that Protestant missions
and their social service activities could be sup
pressed, either rapidly or gradually, I fear that,
little by little, an atmosphere of resentment
and finally of hatred for Catholicism would be
engendered. It is outstandingly true that
liberty alone conciliates, placates and calms.”
Based on this and similar opinions of Latin
American leaders, and on our personal knowl
edge of conditions in South America, we, safely
can say that conditions are favorable to the
spread of atheism (an acquired revulson toward
religion through centuries of Spanish oppres
sion) or, more specifically, of communism.
Communism finds a fertile field among the
working classes. There is hardly any middle
Class. CHARLES ALLEN RENTFRO.
Inquiries About Intelligence Service
To the Editor of The Star:
A few years ago the people of the United
States were told that the Government would
develop and maintain the finest and most
elaborate intelligence service In the world. We
were assured that we would not have to fear
another “Pearl Harbor” or be Infested with a
spy ring such as was uncovered in Canada.
With such assurances, the people looked forward
to the Pan American Conference, which was to
plan the future safety and prosperity of this
part of the world.
Our top officials planned for months so as
to assure the success of the conference. Many
of our most important officials, headed by Sec
retary of State George C. Marshall, attended
the conference. The conference was afforded
the greatest publicity possible.
But where, oh where, was our Intelligence
service? One commentator, on last Sunday
evening, stated that the investigation had been
taken out of the hands of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, but did not say to what unit
It had been delegated.
When our President visits foreign countries,
our services co-operate with the proper parties
In those countries to afford him protection.
The people are entitled to know why another
“Pearl Harbor” occurred at Bogota. What can
we expect In the future? Are our intelligence
units crippled by dual control or have they
just decayed, like our air forces?
JOHN F. HILLYARD.
Progressive Party Protest
To t.h» editor of Ttao 8t*r:
While welcoming the appearance of your
reporter, John V. Homer, at our meeting on
April 2, we wish to call your attention to two
inaccuracies published in his story in The
Star of April 3.
First, it was not a “widely publicized meet
ing" as Mr. Horner stated. To include that
statement in his report is to infer that the
turnout was negligible. If it is your practice
to Include attendance figures in accounts of
meetings, will you kindly do so in reports of
civic federation groups, alongside of their
resolutions condemning civil rights and up
holding restrictive covenants and segregation?
Finally, Mr. Horner, closing his article, quotes
a Mr. “Yalski” as a “fighting Yugoslav." What
Mr. Homer did was to take two separate re
marks of this particular speaker (over an
hour and several points on the order of busi
ness occurred between the first and second
parts of Mr. Homer’s quotation) and combine
them so as to Imply some sort of anti-Ameri
can influence. Had your reporter checked his
information with that particular member or
the officers present, he would not have mis
spelled that person’s name, and would have
found him to be a native-born American citi
zen. ^
Between now and the elections The Star
will undoubtedly cover a good share of the
Progressive Party’s forums and meetings. You
will find our officers and membership frifendly
and co-operative, but at the same time in
sistent that press coverage be objective and
fair. 8. A. ABBOTT,
Press Committee, Progressive Party of Mary
land.
Editor’* Note: In view of the publicity given
the meeting to which Mr. Abbott refers, The
Star felt that it waa pertinent to report that,
it waa attended by 21 persons. The misspell
ing of Mr. ValsUc's name is regretted.
Another Member of AAUW
To tho Editor of The Ster:
I accuse Ruth Voris Lyons of misrepresenting
facts in her letter regarding the controversy at
the University Women’s Club. She claims that
there are 200 women who have worked steadily
in support of the policy of the National Board.
Later she claims that 30 to 40 per cent of the
membership have supported every crucial vote
in favor of the parent organization. There
are 1,050 members of the Washington branch.
I* 200, 30 or 40 per cent of the membership of
1,050? I think not!
I object to her term "parent organization."
I didn't know, that the central body was a par
ent organization or that it stood in loco
parentis to the branches. I always thought that
,in a democracy the central body existed to do
the will of the branches, not to be served by
them. This group of 200 evidently believes in
the tail wagging the dog.
, Mrs. Lyons elaims that the majority wish to
operate the club as a social club. I am
acquainted with her and with her 200, and I
can truthfully say that I have never seen
any (people enjoy the dining-room service more
than this group does. Yet I see them sitting
(bound night after night in our spacious par
lors hatching up the Lord only knows what,
against the branch.
Mrs. Lyons speaks of the noble aspirations
and accomplishments of this crowd. If they
have accomplished anything other than assidu
ously stirring up minority groups, I certainly
would like to know; whit it is. All I have ever
heard from them is talk.
LAURA K. POLLOCK,
Eighteen years a member of the AAUW.
Family Housing Dilemma
To the Alitor of The SUr:
Does any'one have a solution to the housing
problem? I’m referring now to bousing for
children. Many, like myself, have been asked
to pay outrageous rents in order to give our
children homes. Tell me, though, what veteran
on-the-job trainee can pay $100 a month and
Ctill feed a family of four adequately? We’re
willing to live in a cabin as long as there’s elec
trieitv in it and it is with}® commuting distance
of my job. ROBERT ENGLAND.
Stan, Man and Atom
Soviet Atomic Development
Is Widely Debated inil.S.
Little Known Except that Russia
Started Late, Facea Problems
By Thomas R. Hsnry
Has Russia an atomic bomb?
Any answer to this question, asked en every
hand, een only be purely speculative—uni—.
of course, tfce armed services have specific
confidential information.
Production of an atomic bomb depends en
two major factors: Knowledge of the beats
scientific principles involved and industrial
capacity. Respecting the first, R is the con
sensus of Washington scientists, including
several who were involved in production ef the
first atomic bomb, that there is a possible
chance that the Ruasians have gotten ever
the hurdles.
Opinions very widely, largely over the ability
of Russian scientists. Ons eminent physicist
has been quoted as saying that if he had the
job of making such a bomb, starting from
scratch, he would prefer to have a teem ef
Russian scientists and American engineers.
Others, however, have quits a low opinion of
Russian capacities in this particular line—ths
relatively new science of nuclear'physics.
First, it is pointed put, at least 85 per rent
of the "secret” was revealed when the first
bomb was dropped. The celebrated Smyth#
report did little more than amplify details
which any one even superficially familiar with
the subject would have suspected. To a nuclear
physicist anywhere, it was immediately appar
ent that some one of a quite limited number
of ways must have been taken. It would not
have been too difficult to have eliminated the
less feasible techniques.
Wartime Work le Known.
The outstanding physicists of Russia and
their work up to the end of the war are
fairly well known here. First among them
stands Dr. Peter Kapitza. English trained, he
Is unquestionably one of the world’s great
physicists, but all his major work had been in
the fields of extremely low temperatures and
magnetism. There is no evidence from any
of his publications that Dr. Kapitza had given
any particular attention to the physics of the
atomic nucleus.
It is not something which can be followed as
a sideline. Dr. Kapitza doubtless had a general
familiarity with the subject equal to that of
an average physics professor In an American
college. The same is true of Russia’s next
best known physicist, Prof. Joffe. He had no
special training, and had done no notable
work in nuclear reactions. In fact, Russia
is not known to have had any particularly
eminent man specializing in this field.
Russia has many brilliant young physicists.
But if there were no older men to train them,
together with apparent almost complete lack
of essential laboratory equipment, it is highly
doubtful If any of them were well versed a*
the end of the war in probably the most
difficult specialized fitld in all science. This
is not denying that some of them may have
made rapid progress once they were started
in the right direction.
Russia, it is known, took over some of Ger
many’s best-known scientists after the war.
These men were given attractive offers to
insure their enthusiastic co-operation. But
not one of them was among the prominent
known nuclear physicists of Germany. They
had specialized in other lines. Their knowledge
of the atomic nucleus was general and it
would take them some time to become experts.
Results Were Published.
Russia, of course, became interested in atomle
fission as soon as the first news of it cam#
from Washington in January, 1939. But neither
here nor there was the possibility of an atomla
bomb seen clearly. For sopie time there was
no bar on complete publication of results In
the United States and It Is unlikely that there
was any secrecy In Russia.
The Russian work—so far as Is known from
anything published—dealt entirely with de
veloping means of separating the supposedly
essential Isotope of uranium, U 235, from or
dinary uranium by means of the thermal dif
fusion process. This required getting uranium
in the form of a gas, uranium fluoride, one
of the most corrosive substances in existence.
In this line their work was quite good, although
they actually piade no better progress than
was being made in the United States.
This is the picture previous to August 6. 1945.
Thst the Russians were keeping something
back Is quite improbable.
There is every reason to believe that news
of the atomic bomb was as much of a surprise
to the Russians as to the rest of the world.
There also can be little doubt that they started
work Immediately to learn the approximately
15 per cent of the necessary Information.
Much time must have been spent In pure
organization, In getting the right people to
work on the right Jobe. This Is especially true
in light of the known paucity of nuclear
physicists.
At least up to 1942 there was only one
cyclotron in Russia, This was so poorly built
and Inefficient that even some Russians said
It probably had been built as a Joke.
Problem* Take Time.
Now, this last 15 per cent of the road, ac
cording to Washington physicists, had a lot
of hurdles. There were none which could not
be crossed by teams of competent nuclear
physicists. But, unless there were s series of
unbelievably fortunate accidents, all this would
take time and several of the bombs were al
most certain to turn out "duds.” In view of
the techniques which probably would be fol
lowed, however, there Is little probability of
a serious accident, a premature explosion
which would fill the atmosphere with radio
active particles which could be detected on
Geiger counters and create shock waves In the
earth which would be recorded by seismo
graphs.
Admittedly a great deal might be accom
plished in almost three years and the Russian
scientific mind Is quite brilliant.
Perhaps they have something even better.
This Is seriously doubted by Washington phys
icists, however.
The picture thus stands that Russians were
late in starting, they began with an inade
quate number of competent nuclear physicists,
and were bound to make many mistakes be
fore they got on the right road.
The second phase is thst of engineering—
actually producing bombs In quantity after
the scientific principles were clear. Tb'j would
have been a difficult, but far from Impossible,
Job for Russian engineers. It largely depends
on how free a hand they have been given and
how much money they have been allowed.
It generally la agreed that If Russla.has the
scientific data necessary for building a bomb,
its attainment la relatively recent. Nobody will
say, however, thst Its possession Is impossible,
or even highly improbable.