Atomic Action

One day last week the Senate showed what it could do when it had a mind to. In a little more than two hours it debated, passed by voice vote, and sent to the House the long-pending bill--authored by Connecticut's Brien McMahon--for civilian control of atomic energy.*

At the last minute the Senate had added two minor amendments. Otherwise the committee's recommendations (TIME, April 22) rode through untouched. A five-man, full-time civilian commission would have complete and sweeping powers over every phase of atomic research, production, engineering and application. A military liaison committee, a nine-man advisory board of civilians appointed by the President, and a bi-partisan congressional committee would act as a check and conscience on the operations of the Atomic Commission. The whole bill was geared to mesh with any future international control adopted.

Said Senator Arthur Vandenberg: "A formula against world devastation."

* For other discussions of the atomic bomb, see INTERNATIONAL and RADIO.

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