skilled m e n to building plants of primitive design, w e would reduce our opportunities for finding t h e optimum, economically competitive nuclear plants of the future. • Congress Deliberates. T h e Joint Committee on Atomic Energy has just concluded hearings on an atomic power bill ( S . 2725) sponsored b y Sen. Albert Gore ( D . - T e n n . ) . Under provisions of the Gore bill, AEC would build and !§> operate six full-scale atomic power 2.5 M i l l i o n Kw. by 1 9 6 0 plants, so-called demonstration plants. Cost of the program is estimated to b e $500 million. 2.5 M i l l i o n K w . by 1965 Committee chairman Sen. Clinton P . Anderson (D.-N. M.) is concerned over the lagging development of industrial atomic power. With nuclear power in 0.7 M i l l i o n K w . by 1 9 6 0 the uneconomical development stage, Sen. Anderson questions the wisdom of A E C s policy of asking industry t o carry t h e b u r d e n of putting these prototypes into full-scale operation. H e asks, " C a n w e expect these uncoordinated groups to provide t h e direction a n d accomplishment necessary to maintain our world leadership?" AEC head attacks Congressional plans to have Testifying in behalf of t h e bill, Sen. Gore says that the Government should Government build demonstration reactors lead t h e w a y for private industry and supplement plants constructed with • Strauss Speaks. A E C chairman private capital. H e urges vigorous Lewis L. Strauss, addressing the gradu- cooperation between Government and ATOM is surrounded by an atmosphere t h a t is anything but peaceful. Sharply ating class of Carnegie Tecli last week, industry in obtaining practical expericonflicting points of view have devel- struck back at critics of the atomic ence i n operating nuclear power plants. oped over the best way to handle the power program. "One of t h e most Noting that Russia's announced plans atomic electric power program. Some short-sighted decisions we could make for atomic power "dwarf t h e very best leaders urge the Government to sponsor as a nation is to adopt an arbitrary goal anticipated under our present program," crash development programs for atomic as to the number of full-scale plants Sen. Gore warns that we must use t h e power, while others are equally insist- we would build by a set d a t e . We a r e full resources of both Government and e n t that industry can do the job ade- not engaged in a kilowatt r a c e , " Strauss indus try if we are to keep the pace. quately by following the normal pattern said. Another complicating factor is t h e of development. But all are agreed on Dismissing Russian announcements long-standing difference of opinion over one thing—the United States must main- of plans to build huge nuclear plants as public power versus private power. tain i t s atomic leadership. propaganda or reactors designed to pro- Voicing h i s opposition to t h e Gore bill. Many Congressmen fear that w e are duce plutonium for weapon use, Strauss Rep. Sterling Cole (R.-N. Y.) says, falling behind Russia in t h e interna- compared the power picture in t h e "We r e going t o have TVA u n d e r t h e tional race for atomic power, and United States with that in power- guise of nuclear energy." severely criticize the Atomic Energy hungry countries abroad- I n Great • W h a t ' s Ahead. So far t h e Joint Commission for "abdicating some of its Britain, for example, the necessity for Committee on Atomic Energy has m a d e responsibilities." They urge passage of importing all the petroleum and a grow- no report on an atomic power bill. legislation to accelerate the develop- ing percentage of the coal required Chances a r e that t h e committee will ment of atomic power by building a makes the cost of atomic power a recommend that AEC build demonstran u m b e r of government demonstration secondary consideration. Here in t h e U. S., with adequate domestic fuel tion p o w e r plants on a smaller scale plants. than t h a t called for in the Gore bill. I n On the other hand, AEC contends supplies, nuclear power t o be effective view of t h e fears expressed b y many that there is no need to engage in a must be competitive in cost with conCongressmen that t h e United States is "kilowatt race" by building demonstra- ventional fuels, in Strauss" opinion. in danger of losing the international tion atomic power plants of types that Our goal, Strauss said, i s more technia r e already obsolescent. U. S. leader- cal advancement through improving power race, Congress is almost certain snip can best b e maintained, AEC says, atomic technology. AECs policy of to pass legislation calling for more b y applying scarce scientific talent to partnership between industry a n d government help in atomic power developing reactor technology to t h e Government is based on the "proven development. Meanwhile, the Edison Electric Instipoint that atomic power is economic. principles that have made t h e United However, all is not harmonious within States the most technologically a d - tute, a n association of privately owned A E C as commissioner Thomas E. vanced nation in t h e world." To em- utility companies, has just announced M u r r a y has gone on record before bark on a crash program of building the formation of a special task force o n Congress as favoring a government plants might be an exceedingly risky atomic power reactors. This group, crash program of demonstration reac- venture, according to Strauss. By di- seen b y many as an answer to criticism tors (C&EN, March 5, page 1080). verting our limited supply of technically of t h e industrial atomic program, will
GOVERNMENT
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GOVERNMENT^ appraise reactor designs and recom mend types most suitable for develop ment. Spokesmen for the task force emphasized that no eflFort would b e made to develop a crash program, but that work of the group would lead to an expansion in reactor building.
Executive Reserve Build-Up WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W . VA. —Steps are being taken t o increase chemical industry participation i n the Government's executive reserve pro gram, Charles F. Honeywell told the Manufacturing Chemists' Association meeting here last week. Honeywell is administrator of the Commerce D e partment's Business and Defense Serv ices Administration. The executive reserve program, brought into being early this year (C&EN, F e b . 27, p a g e 9 3 2 ) , is de signed to provide a pool of industrial executives who have h a d first-hand ex perience in government operations. These m e n will be available for service in expanded government operations un der mobilization conditions. Keystone of success in building up the reserve, Honeywell says, is the WOC (without compensation employ ees) program. For the Commerce D e partment as a whole, active recruiting of former WOC's has been very suc cessful. So far, according to Honey well, more than 4 0 0 former WOC's have said that they are ready, willing, and able to come back to Washington and g o t o work should an emergency arise. But things are not so rosy in the chemical division of BDSA. T o date, only 3 4 former WOC's from the chemi cal industry have agreed t o serve in the reserve. Honeywell estimates that at least 6 0 men will b e required t o form the nucleus of a strong organization in the chemical division. To bring the chemical reserve up to the required strength, Honeywell pro poses to add four WOC's to BDSA's Chemical and Rubber Division. Each of these m e n will act as consultant to the chief of a branch in t h e division, thus they will not stand in the w a y of government career men. E a c h WOC will serve a term of six months in the department. According to Honeywell's figures, the expanded W O C program plus the present program will add 1 0 chemical executives to the reserve each year, so that at t h e end of 10 years there will be 100 additional men in t h e chemical reserve. If the WOC's selected are in the preferred age group, 35 to 4 5 years,
these men should be available for emer gency service f o r a period of 2 0 years. Urging the chemical industry to get behind the WOC program, Honeywell points out that i n such a diverse indus try there is a critical need for better understanding between the industry and Government. The broad aspects of the chemical industry are not too well understood in Government, Honeywell says. "Yet i n every emer gency in the past, chemicals have be come all important to maintenance o f our defense." WOC's returning t o in dustry will have knowledge of govern ment operations and government-busi ness relations that can b e gained in no other way.
Potomac
Postscripts
• National Civil Defense W e e k , Sept. 9 to 15, marks t h e first time a special period has been set aside to focus attention on this problem. For planners of community and industrial programs the Federal Civil Defense Administration has prepared a Help ful idea booklet, "Leadership Guide," copies of w h i c h may b e ob tained from F*CDA's national head quarters, Battle Creek, Mich. • Gas-cooled power reactor e x periment will h e undertaken b y A E C at the Idaho test station. The proto type, eighth type chosen by A E C for research, is expected t o cost $ 4 mil lion, and will IDC used t o develop data and experience for designing mili tary package power reactors and small civilian central station power plants. • Selenium joins the list of critical materials to receive financial help from the Defense Minerals Explora tion Administration. T o encourage domestic production of this scarce material, DMEA will p a y up to 7 5 % of the costs o f authorized exploration projects. • Nickel alloys will become a con trolled material in t h e near future, Office of Defense Mobilization an nounces. Under provisions of the Defense Materials System, deliveries of the alloys t o contractors of the D e fense Department a n d Atomic En ergy Commission will b e controlled, beginning with shipments in the last quarter of this year. Civilian pur chase, shipment, and use of nickel and nickel alloys will not be affected in any way, according t o ODM direc tor Arthur S. Flemming.
