NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

Chronicle (Levin), 8 November 1947, Page 5

NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

NEW YORK, Nov. 6. Mr. Molotov :s statement in Aloscow that the secret of the atom bomb no longer exists, has been greeted with iu terest. but a high degree of scepticisni bv United Nations delegates. A11 American spoKesiuan said: ' ' There does not seem anvthing new in sucli a statement. There are probably other plaees where they know liow to make an atom bomb. The question is can they make oue? I can liand vou my wristwatch and vou will

ha\ e the secret of how to make a wristwatch but can you make oue?" Mr. Hector McNeil (Britain) saii Mr. Molotov 's statement was too vague for comment. A Polish offieial said the atom bomb secret had been known some time but the teehnique of producing the weapon remainded a secret. Oue oi United States' best-informed scientists 011 the bomb said its tlieorv had lieen long known but "how" t« put such a bomb togetlier was another Lliing. The scientist recalled Professor \lbert Einstein and a group of scientists last summer had said that Russia uiight be able to make a bomb bv 1955. Mr. Vyshiuskv, _ the • Soviet \s chief lelegate to the General Assembly, de c.lined to comment seriouslv 011 Mr. Moloto^-'s declaration but when asked if it nieant that. Russia had a bomb, he grinned and replied: "Probably so. " Dr. Ilarrisoii Brown, chairiuan oi' Atomic Scientists of Uhicago, said there was no such tlii ng as a "secret of the atom boml)" and predicted that Russia would have a Ijonib be tween 194-3 and 1951. Several Uni + ed Nations delegates ob.jected to Mr. ^[olotov's eharge that Britain and America were responsible ror delaving the atomic energy control programme in the Atomic Energy Com mission. I Dr. Evatt (Australia) said: "The'

cliief factor in the deiay is the Soviet 's deliberate tactics of obstructing the principles of the Baruch plan."