POLLUTION OF AIR

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28263, 29 April 1957, Page 9

POLLUTION OF AIR

Alleged Effects Of Atom Tests

(N.Z. Press Association Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) MUNICH, April 27. The world's air would be constantly polluted by radioactive strontium for the next eight years even if atom bomb tests were stopped immediately, according to the West German atomic scientist, Professor Walter Gerlach. Professor Gerlach is one of 18 West German scientists who in a joint declaration two weeks ago warned against the stationing of production of atomic weapons in West Germany. He was quoted by Munich newspapers today as saying that his Physical Institute at Munich University recorded increased radioactive pollution of the air in the Munich area after the latest Soviet atomic explosion. In Copenhagen today the Danish Board of Health announced that increased radioactivity in the atmosphere had been measured over Denmark since the middle of March.

A spokesman of the board said: “The radioactivity in the atmosphere has in this period been somewhat greater than normal and during the last few days there has been an increase which may be connected with the current atomic bomb tests.”

The spokesman said that the radioactivity was not greater than it had been on different occasions earlier and that the radiation to which the population had been subjected did not involve any risk to health.

“Communist Threat To Workers” (Rec. 8 p.m.) BRUSSELS. April 26. The International Conferedation of Free Trade Unions in its May Day manifesto to the world’s workers, said today: “The Kremlin remains the main threat to world peace.” The confederation, which claims to represent 55 million workers throughout the world, said that much had been accomplished in the last year. The statement said that the confederation would continue to fight for the right of all workers to organise freely in trade unions. It said the organisation was building up a fund to aid workers who fell victim of any repression.

French Successes in Algeria.— Security troops killed 24 insurgents and took four prisoners in two actions in the Grande Kabylie region of Algeria yesterday, the French authorities reported today. —Algiers, April 27.