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Show Marquis Child's U. S. Planning Expected Russ Bomb WASHINGTON In th Interval Inter-val since President Truman's fateful announcement of Russia's Rus-sia's atomic explosion, a spate of words has deluged this country, coun-try, coming from every possible source, but there have been few signs of any positive action. On the matter of action, both the president and his top mili-tsry mili-tsry plsnners are somewhat sensitive. Almost wlUwut exception excep-tion the president's visitors, whether they have coma to see him sbout a new dam for Goose creek or a postmaster in Po-dunk, Po-dunk, eventuslly brine; up the momentous news. The president has a stock answer. an-swer. Ha says there hss been no need to change our course or take any drastic steps) because we have known all along that the Russians would get the bomb, and American policy and planning have been based on thst assumption. Statements that MIS military" had based their calculations on S belief that the Russians would, not have an atomic weapon before be-fore IBM are somewhat resented. resent-ed. Top militsry planners say this Is untrue. Their rslculstlons were thst Russia would not have a atockpile of atom bombs before be-fore 19.12. There la, of course, a wide difference between one atomlo explosion and a atockpile. atock-pile. Completion by 'St The target data for completion comple-tion of the radar fence around North America. It la pointed out, waa 1851. This waa on the assumption that Ruama would have a number of bombs by thst time snd perhaps be emboldened to launch an aggressive war. Aa a result of the atomic explosion ex-plosion In Russia's secret Siber- isn leeung grouna, miuisry plannere- hav concluded that more urgent action i essentisl in three departments. Aa out-- out-- lined by those responsible for our military security, they ar aa follower 1. T speed up construction of the radar fence. While congress hsa authorized the entire project, proj-ect, appropriations . hav been alow la coming This has meant delaya in building th major listening posts, which require solid and substantial Installations; Installa-tions; Congress will be asked to speed up the money for this electronic warning barrier. ' " . Civd defense. Almost nothing noth-ing has bees done in this department de-partment and It ia s source of concern to th military planning ataff. They ar concerned mainly on two points. Ons Is the effect on th civilian population of a few bombings by aulcide squadrons, which la all the Russlsns are believed be-lieved capable of at the present tim. Second Is internal sabotage by Communist fifth columns, particularly In key war Industries. Indus-tries. Industrisl leaders attending- recent orientation conferences confer-ences st th Pentagon have been warned to a pot potential saboteurs sab-oteurs In their plants, Wsrssoagerbmgr When th 1st Secretary of Defense Jam Forrestal created creat-ed the office of civil defense planning in March. 1941. he waa accused of warmongering. After a study conducted in cooperation with atatea and municipalities, a report was turned over to Preeident Truman. Nothing further fur-ther happened until th preet-dent preet-dent ordered the national security secur-ity resources board to make further fur-ther studies. Now military men feel th tim haa com for something some-thing more than atudy and they are hopeful that the public will understand th necessity for positive steps to set up, at least In skeleton form, civilian defens units throughout th country. 1. Th obvious necessity ts increase and improve atomic production In every phase. Because Be-cause It la so obvious, the steps here can readily be taken and th machinery already has been put la motion. a This is all en th rudlnaantary military level On th diplomat! side, th American people hav very right to expect that privately pri-vately and without fanfare the state department 'is exploring with Soviet diplomats the po-aibilitiea po-aibilitiea for a limited agreement with the USSR which might serv until long-term provisions for control snd inspection can be discussed. Explore Every Avenue ' It may be that no realistic agreement whatsoever will b possible. But the American peoplethe peo-plethe American conscience, snd, for thst matter, the conscience con-science of the western world-will world-will not be satisfied, until every avenu haa been thoroughly and honestly explored. A book has Just been- published pub-lished with the striking title, "Operation Survival." written by William H. H easier, foreign affaire expert. Aa Heesler makea clear In what should be."niul" reading for every niwober of congress and almost everyone els eonosrned with America s position la the era-Id today, there is no sing Is easy way to peace and security. Although the awareneaa of It la only alowly growing, what we are literally engaged tn Is operation survival. sur-vival. Copyright 14. by United Feature Fea-ture Syndicate. |