| Show Newsmen Argue Bomb A-Bomb Results While They Wait By WALTER VALTER A. A SHEAD Correspondent EDITORS EDITOR'S NOTE This Thu Th dispatch was teas filed from the atomic bomb testing area only shortly before the first test bomb was teas scheduled to be dropped ABOARD APPALACHIAN- APPALACHIAN BIKINI ATOLL Via Navy Radio Radio Radio- This reporter does not intend to delve into the scientific aspects of this atomic bomb test leaving that thatto to the scientific writers and the scientists scientists scientists themselves This test is primarily primarily primarily marily a military experiment to de- de determine de de- determine determine termine how the United States navy and other armed services can figu figu- figuratively figuratively figuratively keep its powder dry in inthe inthe inthe the face of any future atomic war war- fare The experiments however by their very nature and the various tests which are to be made of atomic en en- energy energy energy ergy will produce products by-products of knowledge in the fields of biochemistry biochemistry I biology and medicine Further knowledge will be gained I also in the fields of radio photography phy geology fish life and all the sciences which apply to ocean life l e. e Many 1 Conjectures A tour of this ship and a visit to the staterooms where the newspaper newspaper newspaper per men are housed conjectures on the outcome of this bomb test meas measured m mt as- as only by the number of news news- newspaper newspaper newspaper paper men aboard This is almost true of the scientific writers them them- themselves themselves themselves I selves for most all have different viewpoints on the possible develop develop- I ments These conjectures run the gamut of total destruction by tidal wave or I earthquake of the entire task force j in the vicinity of the bomb down to toI I the theory that the bomb might even prove a dud forecasts of the destruction destruction tion of the atomic bombs dropped I on Hiroshima and Nagasaki made by the scientists connected with 1 Uncle Sams Sam's military establish establish- establishments establishments establishments ments were fairly accurate and this reporter is willing to discard the themore themore I more fantastic conjectures and string along with some of these more conservative forecasts Earthquake or Tidal Wave In the first place Bikini lagoon where the bomb will be dropped is roughly 25 miles long and 10 miles wide and the water averages feet in depth and one scientist lik lik- likened likened lik- lik likened ened the dropping of the bomb into such an expanse of water and air to toa toa toa a spark from a welders welder's torch dropped into a acre 30 lake Scientists Scientists Scientists admit that the bomb may cause a slight earthquake and tidal wave but that in comparison with natures nature's earthquakes It will have no destructive violence and will only be recorded upon seismographic in- in JAPAN GUAM BIKINI IKIN EQuATOR LONELY LONEL Y REEF Far out in inthe Inthe the Pacific Bikini atoll holds the 97 ships of the suicide fleet The release of atomic energy at the given point of the bomb burst will in the opinion of these scientists release heat and en en- energy energy energy ergy at that spot of a nature never before experienced upon the surface of the earth but its effects will be confined to a relatively very small area One scientist declared that the radio activity released from the bomb if absorbed by living tissues would result in chemical changes inthe in inthe inthe the proteins of the tissues in some cases of sufficient intensity to kill the tissues and in other cases like like- likely likely likely ly to produce a new kind of living tissue or a new variety of organ It Itis Itis Itis is a well-known well fact that X-rays X have created this phenomenon in living tissues and the radio-active radio rays from the bomb are practically the same as X Thus a man who comes in contact with these radio-active radio particles may well be be- become become become come sterile arid and a d be chemically changed as to other characteristics On the other hand some scientists predict a tremendous tidal wave as result of dislodging a huge landslide along the slope of Bikini atoll which some feet from the floor f t the ocean Another predicts the will crack open the ocean floor and let the the water into the molten matter beneath the floor re re- resulting resulting resulting In a tremendous volcanic ex ex- These predictions however er are generally discounted Are Sworn to Secrecy This reporter report r anticipates plenty of action and plenty to write about when this bomb is dropped by the B 29 over the target array of naval ships The most dramatic will be bethe bethe bethe the second test when a bomb is detonated below the surface of the water in the midst of what is left of the target ships The handicap under which the lay members of the press work is however that we will not know nor will we be told whether or not these bombs exploded ed at full efficiency or whether or not in fact fa t they were duds 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