Ahead of the Competition

As the head of a top-secret Government agency, Lewis L. Strauss, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, is well aware of his often conflicting responsibilities for security and the people's right to know. At a National Press Club luncheon last week, Banker Strauss gave the people a remarkably candid "annual report to stockholders." It was encouraging.

On the debit side the AEC chairman listed:

P: Russian thermonuclear experiments. "It is unintelligent to decry their scientific competence."

P: Public criticism of the commission's security program and, in particular, the Oppenheimer case--although Strauss feels that the AEC has a "very fair procedure to deal with security."

P: Misunderstanding about the Dixon-Yates contract--but "the contract itself should be listed among the assets."

In conclusion, Strauss made it clear that "none of these liabilities has adversely affected the work of the commission." Then, turning to the assets, he reported:

P: The weapons program. "It is my honest belief that we are well ahead of any competition at this time."

P: Relaxation of the Government atomic monopoly under the new law, which makes it possible to be "on our way back to the American patent system."

P: "Spectacular progress in the use of radiation in the arts and sciences--in medicine, biology, agriculture, chemistry and metallurgy, to name but a few."

P: The President's atoms-for-peace proposal and his plan for an International Scientific Conference, scheduled for this summer, on the peacetime uses of atomic energy--a project that finally interested the Russians last week.

Two days before Strauss's speech, the AEC announced its first major move to implement the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The AEC called for specific proposals from private companies for atomic-power programs by April 1, and promised three types of AEC aid: 1) free nuclear fuel, 2) free AEC laboratory work, 3) payments for technical and economic data. The AEC also established a secret price list for selling, buying and leasing of atomic materials.

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