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Burlington Atomic Energy Week, 1947
Man vs Atom - Year 1 Page 7
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while Time runs out [drawing] NATIONAL VS. INTERNATIONAL Born of nationalism, the Atomic Age began when three nations discovered a weapon that today gives them the greatest military power on earth. The prime question is: Shall the atom remain the servant of its conqueror, nationalism? During Year 1 of the Atomic Age the Truman-Atlee-Kind declaration, the masterly report of the State Department's atomic consultants, and the U.S. representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, have all called for international control of atomic energy. Year 2 will start with no such control. This failure to decide and act is in part a natural result of the extreme difficulty of the problem and the obvious dangers of unwise decisions. Nations everywhere face a triple dilemma in this Atomic Year 2: the dangers of nationalism, the dangers of internationalism, the supreme danger of not being able to make any decision in time to meet the atomic bomb threat. INTERNATIONAL CONTROL AS PROPOSED BY THE U.S. TO U.N. ATOMIC COMMISSION Baruch statement follows constructive path laid out by Atomic Consultants in "Acheson-Lilienthal Report" The Plan. The U.S. has proposed that all nations band together to outlaw the use of atomic energy for war and to promote and harness its development for the benefit of mankind. To this end an International Atomic Development Authority would be set up, and to it the U.S. would turn over, at various stages of its organization, all atomic bombs, know how, raw materials, facilities, and stockpiles of fissionable material. Thus IADA eventually would supersede national authorities on some matters and supplement them on others. Owner and Operator. IADA would take over from national authorities or private ownership full management and control of all atomic energy matters that afford a possible threat to World security. These include: 1. Raw Materials- Supplies of uranium and thorium to be inventoried, controlled, and developed by IADA 2. Facilities - IADA to control and operate plants producing fissionable materials and to own and control their products. 3. Research - IADA to undertake research and development on all aspects of atomic energy and to possess exclusive right of research on atomic explosives. Private Initiative. Will have its chance to push forward the use of atomic energy for peacetime (non-dangerous) purposes. With IADA providing raw materials and carrying out necessary inspection, national and private enterprise may operate "safe" power piles, and produce and use radioactive isotopes for research, clinical and other applications. Radioactive isotopes produced by IADA also can be distributed for peacetime use. The Mechanics of Safety. No plan is a certain guarantee against future atomic war. This plan should however, prevent surprise attack with atomic weapons; for IADA is to buttress positive ownership or management controls with wide powers of inspection. Obviously, successful inspection rests on complete freedom of access or egress in any area. Sanctions. At the heart of the pan lies the problem of penalty for violation - a matter of profound statecraft. To the U.S. one aspect of sanctions appears crystal clear: Here is an area where the veto right now held by the five great Powers must be redefined if it is not to be incompatible with the meaning and purpose of the proposed control. [drawing of hour glass] Leading industrial nations can produce atomic bombs in five years, competent scientists announced after Hiroshima. Already one year of the precious five has been consumed in debate without international action. Soon it may be too late to check the growing momentum of the atomic arms race. TIMETABLE- ATOM YEAR 1 1. July 16, 1945. World's first atomic bomb detonated in New Mexico. 2. July 26, 1945. President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill issue Potsdam ultimatum threatening Japan's destruction if she continues. 3. August 6, 1945. Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. 4. August 9, 1945. Atomic bomb hits Nagasaki 5. August 11, 1945. Army releases Smyth Report on "Atomic Energy or Military Purposes." 6. August 14, 1945. Japan accepts terms of Potsdam declaration. 7. November 15, 1945. Truman-Atlee-King issue declaration of intention and procedures looking toward international control of atomic energy by United Nations. 8. March 28, 1946 State Department issues Acheson-Lillenthal Report on the "International Control of Atomic Energy." 9. April 12, 1946. Manhattan Engineer District announces program for experimental development of atomic power. 10. June 1, 1946. "Atomic Energy Bill of 1946" passes Senate unanimously, is referred to House of Representatives. 11. June 14, 1946. First meeting of United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (Bernard Baruch as American member). Manhattan District announces availability of radioactive isotopes for research use. 12. July, 1946. Joint Army Navy tests of atomic bombs at Bikini.
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while Time runs out [drawing] NATIONAL VS. INTERNATIONAL Born of nationalism, the Atomic Age began when three nations discovered a weapon that today gives them the greatest military power on earth. The prime question is: Shall the atom remain the servant of its conqueror, nationalism? During Year 1 of the Atomic Age the Truman-Atlee-Kind declaration, the masterly report of the State Department's atomic consultants, and the U.S. representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, have all called for international control of atomic energy. Year 2 will start with no such control. This failure to decide and act is in part a natural result of the extreme difficulty of the problem and the obvious dangers of unwise decisions. Nations everywhere face a triple dilemma in this Atomic Year 2: the dangers of nationalism, the dangers of internationalism, the supreme danger of not being able to make any decision in time to meet the atomic bomb threat. INTERNATIONAL CONTROL AS PROPOSED BY THE U.S. TO U.N. ATOMIC COMMISSION Baruch statement follows constructive path laid out by Atomic Consultants in "Acheson-Lilienthal Report" The Plan. The U.S. has proposed that all nations band together to outlaw the use of atomic energy for war and to promote and harness its development for the benefit of mankind. To this end an International Atomic Development Authority would be set up, and to it the U.S. would turn over, at various stages of its organization, all atomic bombs, know how, raw materials, facilities, and stockpiles of fissionable material. Thus IADA eventually would supersede national authorities on some matters and supplement them on others. Owner and Operator. IADA would take over from national authorities or private ownership full management and control of all atomic energy matters that afford a possible threat to World security. These include: 1. Raw Materials- Supplies of uranium and thorium to be inventoried, controlled, and developed by IADA 2. Facilities - IADA to control and operate plants producing fissionable materials and to own and control their products. 3. Research - IADA to undertake research and development on all aspects of atomic energy and to possess exclusive right of research on atomic explosives. Private Initiative. Will have its chance to push forward the use of atomic energy for peacetime (non-dangerous) purposes. With IADA providing raw materials and carrying out necessary inspection, national and private enterprise may operate "safe" power piles, and produce and use radioactive isotopes for research, clinical and other applications. Radioactive isotopes produced by IADA also can be distributed for peacetime use. The Mechanics of Safety. No plan is a certain guarantee against future atomic war. This plan should however, prevent surprise attack with atomic weapons; for IADA is to buttress positive ownership or management controls with wide powers of inspection. Obviously, successful inspection rests on complete freedom of access or egress in any area. Sanctions. At the heart of the pan lies the problem of penalty for violation - a matter of profound statecraft. To the U.S. one aspect of sanctions appears crystal clear: Here is an area where the veto right now held by the five great Powers must be redefined if it is not to be incompatible with the meaning and purpose of the proposed control. [drawing of hour glass] Leading industrial nations can produce atomic bombs in five years, competent scientists announced after Hiroshima. Already one year of the precious five has been consumed in debate without international action. Soon it may be too late to check the growing momentum of the atomic arms race. TIMETABLE- ATOM YEAR 1 1. July 16, 1945. World's first atomic bomb detonated in New Mexico. 2. July 26, 1945. President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill issue Potsdam ultimatum threatening Japan's destruction if she continues. 3. August 6, 1945. Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. 4. August 9, 1945. Atomic bomb hits Nagasaki 5. August 11, 1945. Army releases Smyth Report on "Atomic Energy or Military Purposes." 6. August 14, 1945. Japan accepts terms of Potsdam declaration. 7. November 15, 1945. Truman-Atlee-King issue declaration of intention and procedures looking toward international control of atomic energy by United Nations. 8. March 28, 1946 State Department issues Acheson-Lillenthal Report on the "International Control of Atomic Energy." 9. April 12, 1946. Manhattan Engineer District announces program for experimental development of atomic power. 10. June 1, 1946. "Atomic Energy Bill of 1946" passes Senate unanimously, is referred to House of Representatives. 11. June 14, 1946. First meeting of United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (Bernard Baruch as American member). Manhattan District announces availability of radioactive isotopes for research use. 12. July, 1946. Joint Army Navy tests of atomic bombs at Bikini.
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