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Declassified record · U.S. Department of Energy

Meeting of Acbm, March 15-16, 1957, Executive Session

Dated
Mar 31, 1957
Document type
Conference
Length
3 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 16294267 · public domain

Document text

Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.

Page 1

0, _ _ Meeting of ACEM, March 15-16, 1957. I Seem unfortunate to the public the very divergent views by people on these bodies, such as the scientists not agreeing among themselves. I consider I have not given up the right to express qy own ideas about anything by joining organization o r camittee. certain responsi3ilities therefore have to m e discretion abaut vhat I say and analyze, makd statements, if such statements would be detrimental to organization tu which I belmg. There is quite a difference between what one expresses as a member of a committee on the basis of the deliberations of that committee and what you say on the basis of your oyn uork and your own judgment in the field, for example, I am proposing to mite rqy senator about this Newburger B i l l and express a strong opinion, uhich is apart from anything discussed here. I would not say it without formal vote-fromACM. If it comes to a shovdarn muld resign first and then If I were swing this as a member of ACE4 It's not quite that--?:AS Cte., f o r example, made certain statements for me&ers of the press who questioned them. I have some strong feeling about the Newburger Bill but I would not write about it, because xorking for a tax-free organization I would not do this. I would express .my viex to t h e Commission, not as a complaint to the t h e ri$t of the individual. your opinion has nothing t o do w i t h the committee of which you are a It might injure the organization far jrhich I work. There arc? some of the pmblems of obliaation that go beyond Sone time you can avoid 0--------0- by stating in report that I would agree uith you but not as to the general success of the is that after the .4AAS symposium on Sr-90 Swder gave his talk and gave exact opposite point of view. Ordered me to explain the apparent contradiction. Committee, had been asked to explain the contradiction and did something which .made it sound &+he more than ever like a contradiction. The particular thing that rankles sorest in rqy mind There were comments in the papers. Campbell, of the I)r. Dunham: Dr. F a i l l a asked that I explore uith the Chairman the possibili\ty of re-esgtablishing somewhat on basis as aluays in the past a group of We discussedth safety of the test operations. He is not adverse t o this but would be willing group take a look at Plumbbob, What sort of bo@ gas reluctant to have an executive committee take

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Dr0 Bugher: Would it be an advisory committee such as in the last series? This brings up a somewhat fundamental question t o the tests. fn almost every t e s t series once a series has gotten under uay there is sometlling added t o it.that had not been adequately weighed in the nattlre of the work. When one has these things coming up hurriedly I doubt they get the degree of scrutiqy they had earlier. I also wonder if as much'-ingenuity is put into trying to get all the answers from any one test as there is t o getting various aspects of things from a series of tests. h e of the things that makes us extremely vulnerable on world opinion is the large number of explosions In there really have t o be as many as there are. been pointed out t o me by neatrals that the t o t a l aggregate of Russian tests is less than progress in their program. t o get everything done that can be, and kndng the considerable number of tests have been in the past-----= not much i n the training of a very small number of troops (?) ---I have wondered if there were some way that we oould appropriately get word t o the Commission that we are losing heavily in uorld opinion by giving a blank check t o Does not make sense t o scientists in other nations that It has repeatedly one of our series and have made creaitable Knowing the eagerness of the military ~ m a m : The military requirements are very moderate. year ago were willing tolet it ride. The public and foreign countries f e e l that military and AEC are running the show and does not consider the population of US o r other countries by going ahead and exploding these bombs uith the excuse that it is necessary. Dr. Failla: Would like t o go back t o suggestion I made last time. > " Warren: W i l l have a problem in that the Secy. of Defense is directly responsible t o the press, the AECis directly responsible t o the press, and cantt get anybocty arty higher than that, Would have very rough time in evaluating order t o do that and the AEC has grief enough ?tmn-Wick ming to the JtW without still another watchdog group, Dr, Bugher: 1 would like t o see a poll expressing public opinion as t o how peop;le Would have t o know as much as the members of the AEC in shots are being advertised in their papers as w e get notices that-Fhrssia has put offa blast? _ - Dr* Barren: A l l the shots-English, Russian, and our awn are headzine items, One of the very important things i t is difficult for us t o keep in mind is the very small area that England, France, Belgium and Norway havethey haventt,&ny place t o go.

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re Cs 137-27 yrs. instead of 33 Nention w& made that minutes of special meeting at A E in Nov. 1956 had never Move acceptance of minutes as amended-second Dr. Cantril Dr, Warren moved that these minutes be approvedd-second Dr. Cantril. Ilr, Glass - A consideration of continuing the genetics program which the Japanese seen ready to pick up again (re W)--(suggested k. Crow visiting ABCC I an in favor of having another look at the ABCC program. From perhaps a parliamentary standpoint I wonder if it is getting the ACEPI in an operative position? suggest sending someone to look over program. this is the group that should be thinking about this. a formal proposal might upset the equilibrium of the re-constituted CAC. It should be left to E?&M staff to Dr. Amham: I suggest that. Lk. Glass xrite Dr. Stem or &.Neal a note, since For ACBN to make Dr. Bugher: Ymtioned talking w i t h Dr. Rtnham about Rockefeller Fndn. backing NYU in case Inst, of Industrial Medicine into a broad thing (????)-- School of Public Health to encourage broad problems. to wait to see how negotiations come out. Dr. Warn: The Nyoo is negotiating with the University. be several hundred thousand dollars. how much to perate somewhere else. The Dental School uants to move into the same building. Will probably have The operational cost will Going to get information as to Will have to talk with CAS.., .*. -- .-.. . . The thought of the Foundation (Rockefeller) strengthening is a fine idea. Suggested working out some sort ofoutline f o r the presentations at these meetings (with a view to shortening the presentations) to do this. CL3 agreed