Mystery Of Missing Uranium In U.S.A.

Chronicle (Levin), 4 June 1949, Page 5

Mystery Of Missing Uranium In U.S.A.

Received Friday 5.30 p.m. WASHINGTON, June 2. Wild eharges against atomic energy chief, Senator Brien McMahon (Democrat, Conneeticut) announced to-day that a bottle which had contained missing uranium 235 had been recovered practically empty and that the loss of the uranium appeared to have been due to "carelessness and negligence. " Senator McMahon, who is chairman of the Joint Congressional Atomic Energy Commission, said the bottle had been recovered from a buried box. It ap peared that the bottle 's contents had ■ previousiy been dumped by mistake in a refuse eontainer. A very small amount of uranium oxide had been found adhering to the bottle and an analysis showed iWto be identical with ihe missing uranium. One-eighth of an onnce of uranium was still missing, but he was hopeful that the reelaiming proeess now under way at the Oakbridge atomic plant in Tennessee would recover it. Searchers examining atomic refuse were running a considerable risk and had tu wear gasmaske and other protective devices. ' Senator Bourke Hickenlooper (Republican, Iowa) to-day accused Mr David E. Lilienthal, cha\rman of the At oiuic Energy Commission, with having given 3280 persons access to restrict'ed atoinie data before they have been iilvestigated by the Federal Bureau of imvestigation as required by law. He charged the Commission with having violated the letter and spirit of the security provisions in the Atomic Energy Act. Senator Hickenlooper made the aceusa tion when the Senate House Atomic : Energy Committee opened its second day's hearings on his eharges of "incredible mismanagement " in the Commission. Senator Hickenlooper has ask ed that Mr Lilienthal be dismissed. He declared that Mr Lilienthal had been guilty of "brazen efi rontery ' ' in violations of the law by issuing ' ' emergeney" clearanees for access to secret in- • formation.