Atomic Energy Commission Fellowship Program

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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM---___-_ National security in this age of science is best served Sy a brcad program of education and training of the largest possible number of competent young men and women f o r research. This training should for most be free of the restrictions imposed by secrecy. Science will not long thrive in secret because intellectual restraints and taboos hamper the type of probing and wide-ranging thought essential to scientific discovery. Political restrictions do two dangerous things to scientists: alienate them by reason of lack 6f freedom of inquiry, which will merely retard progress; o r distofi,their thought processes by orienting them about political point4 b-erence, a process of substituting dogma for truth, deadlyiboth to science and tc polity. judiciously defined. Education and training should operate primarily outside its boundary, that the advantages of an atmosphere of utmost freedom may be realized. Imposition of the conditions of F.B.I. clearance of candidates for Atomic Energy Commission Fellowships in Biology and Medicim might easily extend to the imposition of similar requirements f o r everyone who uses atomic energy in any form for investigative work. This would reach out into the academic life of private as well as governmental institutions like a blighting hand; for thoughtful men now know how political domination can dlatort free inquiry into a malignant servant of expediency and ' A number of outstanding creative thinkers go throiigh a "radical" phase in their youth, and there is always danger that liberalism or honest criticism of government will be confused with disloyalty, thus keeping some of the best brains out of the investigate t h e problems of utilization of atomic energy for COnStrUCtivC and humanitarian purposes. This aupply of competent scientists cdn be provided only by an adequate and well-managed a fellowship program in the field of peacetime uses of atomic energy. It has competence, funds, experience, the vision that can corne only from study and experience in this field, and an understanding of methods and objectives in the trairSng of Knowledge of only certain (and secret) aspects of atomic energy can be used to the detrimcnt of our national security. Anyone who has access to secret information must be both loyal The provision of more scientists trained f o r research and service in scientific, industrial and military fields of atomic energy is a national need, now peculiarly acute in light of the SUCCeSSfUl atomic explosion in the U S.S.R. The Atomic Energy Comnission is obligated to meet it, with or without administrative handicaps, because of its special knowledge an9 responsibilities. The secrecy necessary f o r defense can be (and is) well and There is obvious and urgent need of well-trained men to The Atomic Energy Commission i s the best agency for directing

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The Advisory Cornnittee for Biology and Medicine recommends (1) The fellowship program be continued and expanded despite the adverse condition of loyalty clearance of rellows after F.B.I. investigation imposed by the 1950 the loyalty rider. to ernphasize.,$he differences between restricted and open fields of rese,qrch and development. ( 2 ) The Atomic Energy Commission seek modification of (3) The Atomic Energy Commission use every opportunity