PREVENTING ATOMIC WAR

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1947, Page 5

PREVENTING ATOMIC WAR

'* (N.Z.P.A.

—Reuter,

Issue Must Be Faced, S&ys Lord Russell r —

Copyright)

Reeeived Fi-iday, 7.0 p.m. LONlJOX, Dec. 5. Addrcssing Ihe Royal Emjoire Society, Lord Berlrand Russell said anotlier world war in which one side or Ihe olher possessed Ihe atomic hornl), would probably bring about a e.omplete eessation ot' life, lumian, animal and vegetable. lle dismissed Ihe possibility of prohibiting Ihe maiuil'acture oi' atornic weapons as "I'utile" and said that Ihe only possible meanS of preventing an atornic war was by Ihe creation of a single world authority which would possesslhe Cornplcte monopoly of all sorious weapons of war. As a step towards tliis he suggested that all nations which werc aware of Ihe urgeney of the problem, should form a close alliance involving oommon anuainents and coinmon defence. This alliance must be willing to cocrcc the reealc.it rant minorily, if necessary even by war itself. "We must learn to face this issue more honestly and face the fact that it 1 ransceiids all' the old issues 011 which mankind is dividel. Lilher _we must establish a world governmenl in a very l'ow years or we perish," said Lord Russell. Sir John Anderson, who presided, said in his vicw there were no longer any seci'ets about atornic energy in the sense of hidden truths known only to a select few. The fundamental truths and knowledge possessed by tho.se who have been work'ing intensively in Ihe field of atomic rescarch in the Lnited States, Canada and Britain. had now, broadly speaking, become eommon proporly throug'hout the world. There were, however, lengthy technical processes which deruanded most eareful examination and experiment and which were governed by the availability of material supp'lios and human skill. These warnings and predictions by Lord Russell and Sir John Anderson, are supported by Professor Einslein who, speaks the epilogue to a remarkable film showing the developnient of atornic energy, which was given its world press review in London today. The tilm is not intended for entertainment but for the inJ'ormation of seientists, research workers and students. Xevertheless, amidst the mass of scientilic formulae and involved calculations. it niakes it graphieally clear that any country with the necessary material and finaneial and expert , scientilic re-i sourees, eould carry on atomic research on Ihe general basis of: known facts already established. I In establishing these facts thel film attributes the whole. founda-i tion of present day atomic re-i search to the Xew Zealander, thej late Lord Rutherford, who him- ! self appears in a numbcr of scenesj photographed bei'ore his death. t Pi-ofessor Einstein ends Ihe film] with the prediction that civilisa-j tion will end within a few days ol'l any general outbreak of an atomic ! war. ! Ho explains ihe difficulties of ndapting atomic energy for indus- ! trial uses and prediets that] several decades will clapse bef'orej practical results can be expcctcd. ]