Progress Report

Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Gordon Dean pulled aside the shutters and gave the U.S. one of its rare peeks at how big and fearsome its atomic plant is getting to be. In the race for atomic superiority, the U.S. has:

>Already spent close to $4,750,000,000 and intends to spend $1,750,000,000 more.

>Hired 90,000 people on the atom, through 219,000 contracts & subcontracts.

>Ordered the construction of a $900 million factory near Aiken, S.C., a new $50 million U-235 plant at Paducah, Ky., and $200 million additions to both the original Oak Ridge plant and the Hanford, Wash. plutonium works.

>Discovered valuable deposits of uranium in Canada, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico (though nothing has yet been found to equal the Belgian Congo's fabulous Shinkelowbe mine).

>Worked out improved ways of refining low-grade ore which may make it possible to tap the uranium in the residues from South Africa's gold fields and Florida's phosphate beds.

>Gotten to the stage where it can talk confidently of mass-producing vastly improved atomic bombs, building a hydrogen bomb, tactical atomic warheads for artillery and guided missiles, and atomic engines that would "reduce almost to the vanishing point the dependence of naval vessels and military aircraft on bases of fuel supply."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.