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Show MARQUIS CH1LDS Bold Thinkers Have Trouble Passing Atomic Scrutiny. seem to commit the commission Into the distant future. Some of these commitments seem to link us with Canada and Great Britain In certain aspects of atomic production for an indefinite in-definite period. They are surrounded sur-rounded with the greatest secrecy. The commission has only begun to unravel the intertwining inter-twining strands, and their discoveries dis-coveries thus far have been rather startling. Add to the other complications the fact that science is continually contin-ually making new discoveries in the field of atomic energy. At least one such development which has come about since the first bomb was dropped Is In some respects as revolutionary in Its implications as the fact of atomic fission. Naturally, such WASHINGTON With the beginning of the new year, the atomic energy commission will officially take over control of the atomlo energy plants built during the war, the stock pile of atomic bombs, and all of the paraphernalia of secrecy and security surrounding this most remarkable experiment In man's long history. The five members of the new commission may well groan under un-der the weight of their responsibility. responsi-bility. No government body haa ever assumed anything quite like this burden. It would be different of course, If they were beginning from scratch to direct the development de-velopment of the atomic project But they are taking over after three years of wartime development develop-ment and a year and a half under peacetime operation. Inevitably In-evitably that has meant particularly partic-ularly during the latter period, commitments extending far into the future. The commission la paying the penalty for the long delay by congress In passing peacetime atomic energy legislation. legis-lation. Staff Problem One of the tasks the five men have been wrestling with in the preparatory period Is hiring a staff. This has been greatly complicated by the microscopic. Investigation which the FBI conducts for the commission into each Individual considered for employment While this type of Investigation with all Its thoroughness thor-oughness may be essential. It does tend to dredge up a great deal of irrelevant inormatlon. The members of the commission commis-sion are having their own records rec-ords combed over by the FBI. One of the atomlo commissioners commission-ers was amused to find Included in his dossier the fact that In 1928 he had written a magazine article for the Outlook, a respectable re-spectable and rather solemn journal of opinion which is now defunct Weeds Out Thinkers This kind of scrutiny tends to weed out anyone who has ever done any bold thinking. The perfect employe would be an efficient robot who has never been guilty of a thought'or an idea. Or falling to find a robot a knight of Sir Galahad's purity might just do as a substitute. The search for a fitting candidate candi-date for general manager la proving especially difficult Anyone fitted for such a responsible respon-sible - and difficult job could command $80,000 or $70,000 a year from private Industry. The commission, under the law, can pay $10,000 a year. That means that the Individual who takes the job must .have a certain, component of Idealism which will persuade him to perform a vital service to government at considerable personal sacrifice. If he has this element of Idealism, Ideal-ism, then It Is more than likely that he has expreased himself on the progressive side of one issue or another. Consequently he comes under the FBI microscope. micro-scope. The commission has considered con-sidered a great many names and thus far, in this brains and purity contest no one haa met all the qualifications. Sorting Commitments Eventually the commission will assemble a capable staff. That Is a matter of time and endless patience. More far-reaching far-reaching and Infinitely more complex la the task of sorting the decisions from the past that |
