Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, May 03, 1960, Image 4

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A May I, 19M
i"
Evervone In Southern OreMn
Reads The Mail Tribune'7
Jub1iWer1 f)ntVy except Saturday b9
3 North Tir St., Ph SP 2-614 L
nOBFRT W BUHL, Editor
HRB GBEY Advertising Mnnntr
cerai.D T LATHAM. Bus Mer.
KfltC W AI.LFN JR.. Mng Kditt
KAL H ADAMS, City Editor
HARRY CHIPMAN. Telee Editrt
ICHAAD JEwFTT. Sports Fditnr
OLIVE ftTARCHM. Women'i Bditnr
DAL8 EHICKSON, Circulation M
An 'indeDenrtent Nwinnpr
AkTed bb oecond data mittw M
Medford, Oregon, under Act of
Mnreh 3. 1807
aiTRiCRIPTION RATES
By Mall In Advance. Copy 10c
Dally and .Sunday l year fisw
Dally and Sunday 8 mos. 8 00
Dailv and Sunday 3 mos. 4.25
Sunday Only Oni year $4.20
By Carrier In Advance Medford
Ashland. Central Point Eagle
Point. Jacksonville. Gold mil
Phoenix. Shndv Cove. Rngue Riv
er Talent nnd on motor router
Dallv and Sunday 1 year $lft 00
Da'lv and Sunday 1 mo 1.S0
Carrier and Dealer eopr Wo
AllTerms Cash In Advance
"Official Paper of City of Mrrffnr
Official Paper of Jackfton County
United Pre'iis International
Full Leased Wire
U P I Telephoto Nowpleturi
""MEMPFR of a'udit bureau
or circulations
Advrrlfsine Renreentntlve:
WFPT HOLIDAY CO., INC Of
fices in New York. Chicago. De.
trnit. San FrnnelKCO. Los Annelet.
Seattle, Pnrtlnnd St. Louis, At
lanta, Vancouver, B.C.
O" NEWSPAPER
M PUBLISHERS
ASSOCIATION
EDITORIAl
a 1
.ji,... a
Flight o' Time
Medford and Jckson County
History from the file of The
Mail Tribune 10, 20, 30, 40
and 50 years ago.
10 YEARS AGO
May 3, 1950 (Wednesday)
Mayor Diamond Flynn an-
nouced at last nights city
council meeting that he will
be a candidate for re-election.
Ex-Medford Mayor James
C. Collins told city council
last night that new housing
has been Increasing In Med
ford so fast that it is starting
to "slop over" and he would
like to see some controls set
"P.
20 YEARS AGO
May 3, 1340 (Friday)
The Jackson County Cham
ber ol Commerce will hold a
reception Monday for CCC of
ficers and their wives who
will be attending a district
conference hero.
From Arthur Perry's "Ye
Smudge Pot" column: "These
parts had no winter and it
looks like there would be no
summer, the way the rain fell
upon the just and the unjust,
the growing wheat and the
baseball field, over the week
end."
30 YEARS AGO
May 3, 1930 (Saturday),
Local Chamber of Com
merce campaign to get per
sons not counted in census,
counted, has brought popula
tion total in Mcdfor so far to
11,000.
Al G. Barnes circus is com
ing to town May 19.
40 YEARS AGO
May 3. 1920 (Monday)
Hoover continues to
hold
lead as presidential candidate
in local straw vote.
50 YEARS AGO
May 3, 1910 (Tuesday)
Jesse Thrasher, popular
ballplayer for Jacksonville's
ball club, was beaten to death
near Ashland yesterday and
six men are under arrest and
charged with the crime.
A citizens committee In
Jacksonville has purchased
nearly all of the right of way
necessary for construction of
a railroad to the Blue Ledge
mine and will offer it to a
prospective builder.
What's Your I.Q.?
Nine r ten correct ft super (or;
even or eight Is excellent; five ot
fix. ii good
1. Ii gravity a push or a
pull
2. What city Is known as
"the home of the bean and the
cod ?
3. Where did Cornwallis
surrendor to George Washing
ton?
4. What is the name for a
kitchen on board ship?
NATIONAL
s. ilow many dozen are In
great gross?
8. Who aie Aremis, Athee,
d Porthne4
o 7. What river divldM MW
co from the United tstn?
8. Which state extendi far
ther west; Virginie or Wt
Virginia?
9. Jim and Tom Jrt4
110 bill; Jim got 1 mere l.o
Tom. How was It ehee4?
1 CO Which two lettart of tile
iihnbi arc llMd r4l fre
qaently?
Q rtm bfrWli.iaVSwloo.
W . "T Tire Watt
'. 9. (B:e CU e. Vie
Chessman's Death
Caryl Chessman died yesterday.
As Hti individual, he was no more end no less
important than the 90 or so others who died in
the San Quentin gas chamber during the 11 years
he successfully staved off execution for himself.
But, before he died, he managed to convert
himself from a small-time criminal, a nobody,
into a symbol which attracted excited attention
around the world.
His long but ultimately unsuccessful fight
against death served to revive the world-wide
debate about capital punishment.
FOR Chessman, the criminal, tiiere is little
r sorrow.
For Chessman, the human being, the symbol,
there will continue to be shock and sorrow.
And for the system which coldly takes a hu
man life as "punishment" for a crime, there will
be much more discussion, some of it heated.
In Oregon, for instance, the people voted to
retain capital punishment in November of 1958.
But the legislative interim committee on criminal
law may well recommend to the legislature of
19bl that it be placed on
T'HE people of California, as a direct result
r f flirt Pliooomfln nnea tmoit rri-a rn fVio ntmorirtn
And throughout the world the Chessman case
has brought new thoughts and new emotions to
bear on the age-old questions what are the ob
jectives of punishment?
oi society, and the rehabilitation ot the onen
der? Or is it punitive; the Old Testament's "eye
for an eye, tooth for a
Thus Chessman, in
and losing, may in the
a major revision in our
punishment.
VU'B have personally witnessed two executions,
both of them in the Oregon gas chamber.
It isn't pretty, nor is it edifying.
Nor does it do any good. Unless one agrees
that the death penalty
Mosaic law, the only justification is as a deterrent.
And statistics sunnort lode in the conclusion
that the death penalty is no deterrent to capital
crime. This was the point made by Clarence
Darrow in a series of debates in 1924.
He would point out
England, when dozens of
theft, were punishable
plied their trade around
And he also said:
"Every human being that believes In capital pun
ishment loves killing, and the only reason they be
lieve in capital punishment is because they get a kick
out of It . . .
"We teach people to kill, and the state Is the one
that teaches them. If the state wishes that Its citizens
respect human life, then the state should stop killing.
"Now why am I opposed to capital punishment? It
Is too horrible a thing for a state to undertake. We are
told . . . 'Oh, the killer does it; why shouldn't the
state?' I would hale to live In a state that I didn't
think Was better than a murderer."
THERE are dozens
n q r if o 1 ri i ioli m an f
There are, so far as
favor: The punitive motive, and the deterrent
theory. One is rejected by most Christian folk;
the other is open to grave doubt.
Darrow s debate has
day after the little habitual criminal named
Caryl Chessman died.
"I am pleading for a time when hatred and cruelty
will not control the hearts of men, when we learn by
reason and judgment and understanding and faith that
all life is worth saving, and that mercy is the high
est attribute of man."
E. A.
Look Under Our Noses
Oregon racial problems are centered in Port
land and the Eugene-Springfield area, the Ore
gon State Advisory Committee to the U. S. Com
mission on Civil Rights reports.
The committee, headed by forme r Gov.
Charles A. Sprague, publisher of the Oregon
Statesman, states that discrimination is clearly
evident in real estate transactions, health studios,
barber shops and beauty parlors.
The committee also says there is evidence that
discrimination stems from a militant minority.
IN A predominatly Negro section of Portland,
the committee found that CO per cent of the
housing was substandard in terms of criteria em
ployed by Urban Renewal and other agencies.
The homes occupied by Negroes in the Eugene
Springfield area also were described as poorly
constructed, many of them sub-standard.
A paradoxical aspect of the racial problem
is that people in one state are aroused to a high
degree of indignation ovpr how Negroes are treat
ed in another state while ignoring equally de
plorable conditions at home.
THIS brings to mind an incident which oc
curred some year ago itt Minneapolis. The
Minneapolis Tribune ran a series of articles on
racial discrimination in the Deep South after a
reporter hod spent several weeks in the area. The
newnpaper received hundreds of letters comment
ing pro and con on th? articles. Here's what a
woman wrote 'from a small town in Montana.
"1 want to compliment yoqyon your Articles;
aftout the treatment ($ ygrc(e in the south.
Those gill southeriigi!) ought to J&e horseWhip
peift We do not have any racial problem here
m Woulin'PlePfi)'Netrio stay in (ttivrn 'after sufi.
the ballot again.
Is it for the protection
tooth"?
fighting for his own life,
end become the cause of
attitudes toward capital
is needed to fulfill the
that, in 18th Century
crimes, including petty
by death, pickpockets
the gallows.
of good reasons against
we know, only two in its
a special meaning the
He said:
Dennis the
O
Jiiiihjiii,., J jiliii !i-!!!ir, ifrn
Lets sm the boy left a rxierskats
on vour FPONTsrere. WHICH is
POSSI&tE....
Communications
Letters to the Editor must
the writer, although under certain circumstances the use
of a pen name or initial for publication is permissible. The
Mail Tribune reserves the right to edit all letters with a
view to clarification and condensation. Letters submitted
for publication must not exceed 400 words. The letters
printed in this column do not necessarily represent the
views of the paper; in fact the contrary is often the case.
Enjoys Letters
To the Editor: As a psychol
ogist, social scientist and po
litical economist, I find "Let
ters to the Editor" both inter
esting and enlightening. And
the letters in the Mail Trib
une are tops. I presume that
is due to the wisdom and In
tegrity of the editor. For ex
ample, in the Medford Mail
Tribune of April 28, every
letter bore a relationship in
theme. I happen to know that
was not a coincidence. It had
all the earmarks of organi
zation of material, a thematic
composition. The editor must
have enjoyed arranging the
letters, for it was a work of
art.
The headliner, "Those Reds
Again", was the most reveal
ing from a standpoint of
psychology, because it showed
the extent to which we have
been brainwashed in the last
50 years. Or is it just a
change of ideology?
As the mills of the gods
slowly grind the corn we eat,
our minds are attuned to the
turning of the millstones. As
oui portion of the grist in
creases or decreases, in the
course of time our ideology is
affected. If we become pros
perous we get fat and corn
placement, but none-the-less
greedy. But let the wheel of
the national economy slow
down and the whole nation
begins to feel Insecure. It is
then that each and every one
of us comes forth with an
alibi. Some of the more imag
inative will otter nostrums
and panaceas. People choose
the nostrums. History forces
panaceas.
The writer of the letter
chides the editor on his view
point and opinion. Even ques
tions his reading matter. We
would point out that J. Edgar
Hoover wrote a book on Com.
munist propaganda entitled
"Masters of Deceit." Yes, he
wrote a book, but the com
munists are riding herd on
the cavalcade of history. The
Communists are making his
tory. Mr. Hoover wrote his
opinion on some of their
methods. Whether his opinion
is valid or not Is beside the
point. The Communists
seemed to have a practical
idea. Their progress verities
it. The communists advance
because they have advanced
ideas. They progress because
the future belongs to them.
The National Council of
Churches are not communists
but they have a broader con
cept of freedom than the
bigots that want freedom for
themselves only.
Walter Rcec
Galice rd.,
Merlin, Ore.
Hits Suprama Court
To the Editor: Now that the
California supreme court has
murdered Caryl Chessman. I'd
suggest we go another step
and execute the California
supreme court. I am con
vinced that Caryl Chessman
was Innocent of the crimes
for which he was executed,
and that there Is no justice
to be hed in California.
The members of the Cali
fornia supreme court art,
without doubt, guilty of
crimes Sb bad as those of
Chfnn but beiurf lawyer.
Rne ho to cover them iif
bctier.
IVvd R. McCabc
IJutte Falls, Ore.
Q.
o
firemen PraWeaj r
To thc Editor: Kogap Man
ufacturing Co, wishes to take
tnis opporiunuy )io i-itinniena i
the regular aiid ifolyntpc) (gesslohnlXjU'cord which youlK
membersfOPthe MediWd Fuersent us. Wc are sure this sfrWili
i)uf lor) their (wtfk
Mcnae
bear the name and address of
in bringing under control
and extinguishing a fire
which occurred at our plant
on Wednesday evening, April
27, I960.
This fire which occurred in
the fuel storage vault was
particularly stubborn and dif
ficult to combat. It was also
potentially dangerous because
of the large volume of dry
fuel contained in the vault.
However, because of quick
response, fire fighting know
how, and dogged hard work
on the part of Chief Gordon
Barker and his men, only a
small amount of actual dam
age' resulted.
It is gratifying to know that
the Medford Fire Department
is an efficient, well organized,
and hard-working organiza
tion of regulars and volun
teers. It is a pleasure to praise
the dfpartment for a job well
done.
Kogap Manufacturing Co.
S. V. McQueen, President
South Pacific Hway.
Medford
1
Proud To Live Here
To the Editor: My husband
and I wish to express our deep
gratitude for all the assistance
received after the near-fatal
accident of our son, Chris, last
Thursday. Miraculously, he is
recovering well, and we feel
it is in great part due to the
emergency services in this
community.
We are especially grateful
for the efficiency, courtesy,
and concern of the Jackson
County Sheriff's office, the
Medford Ambulance Service,
and the staff of the Rogue Val
ley hospital. I have never wit
nessed such efficient and
sympathetic handling of an
accident.
We also wish to thank all
our friends for their inquiries,
moral support and help. Thank
you, Medford, we're awfully
proud to live here!
Mary A. Ragland,
3182 South Pacific Hwy.,
Medford.
Bill Supported
To the Editor: I would like
to report on the final count of
the questionnaire Congress
man Porter sent into the 4th
District, on question No. 6,
"Do you approve putting la
bels on shoes listing the ma
terials used?"
Here is the count as sent
me from Washington:
County Ys No
Coos 1,763 (SO'i) 195 (10r
Curry 4!17 (90'l 57 (10i)
DCURlai .... 1,1167 (8B'"e) 3S1 (12 I
jBcknon .... il.896 96cil 13a Hl
Josephine.. 1.188 91-r) 121 19)
Lane 8.634 (87) 993 (IS1?.!
Linn (ot'.c) 273 (16)
i otni
count .. lo.47fl yet 2.033 no.
The narcentuae was.
yes: (891 no: Mfrl
My thanks to the people of
the 4th District for your ap
proval, with such a wide mar
gin, of my fight for informa
tive buying of shots by I
labfl.
Bill H.R. 1320 to libel shoes
has been liven the green light
for hearings, by being ordered
into the sub-committee by
Chairman Grin Harris of the
Interstate and Foreign Com
merce committee, with the or
der to hold hearings is soon
as this bill can be crowded
into the busy ichedule of the
tub-committee
I have elo Just received the
offlcel support of the National
farmer Union, ntf the Na
tiona,l Conaiimera lue hat
eit thla bill to the legislative
activity of the American Pub
lic WelOir Association of,
tVdchlnVton hp I.wb
cover this (kind of bill, they
state, 'We" have feAd with
great Interest your letter and
the rflitertsl frohOthe Con-
"cere efiorf olfuura to prevVle
Unrest in Turkey Embarrassing to U.S,
But No Hints of Anfi-AmeficaniSiri Seen
By PHIL NEWSOM
UPI Foreign Editor
The yellow waters of the
Golden Horn bisect Istanbul,
sweeping inland In a graceful
curve. Slender
minarets split
the skyline on
either side,
with here and
there the
mushroom
dome of a
mosque rising
from a clutter
of arch ltec
ture both old
ond new.
Phil Newsom
Small craft lie at anchor
along the sides, and farther
out the larger ships of all na
tions. Stretching away, across Is
tanbul's seven hills, are the
remnants of ancient Roman
walls erected aganst such an
cient enemies as Attila The
Hun and the Goths.
Today, farther to the north
at the narrowest point of the
Bosporus, submarine nets
guard against surprise attack
by Russia.
Students Demonstrate
Along the banks of the
Golden Horn In recent days
student demonstrators raised
the chant: "Resign Mendares.
Freedom. Freedom."
They massed in the streets
and before the governor's of
fice, and police raised the two
draw bridges of the Golden
Horn to prevent their enter
ing Istanbul's European quar
ter. The outburst against the
government of Premier Ad
nan Menderes was not entire
ly unexpected.
High prices, general pover
ty and a lack of consumer
goods contributed to unrest.
And, in addition, fiercely
independent Turks have be
come increasingly restless un
der the government's iron
fisted determination to sup
press all criticism of the re
gime. Jail Editors
Eight Turkish newspaper
editors now are In jail be
cause they published dis
patches which drew the gov
ernment's ire.
A year ago this correspon
dent sat in an Istanbul hotel
with an Istanbul editor. He
already was under sentence
for one such offense and soon
would be tried for another.
But he gave no sign he would
retreat from what he consid
ered his democartic duty.
Touching off the student
flareup was a government
measure giving a parliamen
'Depression Salad'
Described, But Is
Hot Recommended
By DICK WEST
Washlngton-IUPII-I have here
a new recipe which I would
not want to try myself but
(""V iTH which I will
along to any
a d v e nturous
chefs in the
audience.
The dish Is
called "de
pression s a 1
ad." Under
current eco
nomic condl
suppose there
will be too much demand for
it.
But it might be a good
thing to file away for future
reference. One never knows.
Anyway, the first thing you
do is go out in the yard and
pick a couple of clumps of
chickweed. If you don't have
any chickweed growing in
your lawn, I'll be happy to
send you some.
Last week end, I sprayed
enough chickweed to feed the
entire membership of the Na
tional Geographic Society.
My intention was to destroy
the stuff. This was before I
read in the society's news
bulletin that "such common
garden nuisances as purslane,
for labeling of shoes will utili
mately be successful."
Consumer Report Magazine
will cover and report the hear
ings on Bill H.R. 1320, they re
port in a recent issue.
My most sincere thanks for
the support of the 4th District
and the kindness of the Mall
Tribune in keeping you in
formed. '
Wilbur L. Gardner
(The man with a sole)
612 East Main St.
Medford
(SHawr
OS Quincei .
L,
V I
Dick West
tions. I don't
tary committee sweeping pow
ers to investigate "destructive
and Illegal" activities of the
opposition Republican Party
headed by former President
Ismet Inonu, a popular hero.
The measure Rave the com
mittee broad powers to sub
poena or Imprison.
United States officials cau
tioned againtt comparing the
Turkish disturbance with
those which resulted in the
downfall of Syngman Rhee's
Republic of Korea govern
ment. Friends Of U.S.
But the comparison was In
evitable. Both were directed
against autocratic govern
ments. Both governments have
been staunch friends of the
United States. But their peo
ples also have been staunch
friends of the United States
and in no case among the
demonstrators did anti-Americanism
appear.
But both came at embar
rassing times. In Turkey the
Richard Peterson
Gels Scholarship
Richard L. Peterson, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Burton H. Peter
son, 914 South Stage rd., has
been awarded a four year tui
tion scholarship to Michigan
State university, East Lansing,
Mich.
Young Peterson, a senior at
Medford High school majoring
in mathematics and science,
plans to major in veterinary
medicine at Michigan State
university.
In addition to Science club
activities at Medford High
school he has participated in
baseball and intramural bas
ketball. His hobbies include
hunting and fishing.
He is one of two Oregon
high school students who re
ceived the scholarships. The
other student is Larry B.
Fiske of Estacada.
The majority of the schol
arship recipients will qualify
for the university's Honors
college, a program designed
to afford outstanding scholars
opportunities to do the most
advanced work for which each
is ready.
ARCHITECT DIES
London - (UPI) - Dr. Charles
Holden, 85, famed British ar
chitect who designed the
buildings of London univer
sity and the Piccadilly Circus
subway station, died Sunday.
chickweed and pigweed are
enjoyed by many when cook
ed." Ask for Seconds
According to the geogra
phic, a botanist once gave his
neighbors large helpings of
pigweed, identifying it as
spinach. They not only ate it
but came back for seconds.
I can hardly wait to try this
on my neighbors, particulary
the ones who are always brag
ging about their gardens. It
ought to put an end to the
back fence sneering about my
agricultural abilities. But,
back to the recipes:
While you're in the yard
harvesting the chickweed,
gather a few sprigs of wild
onions and several bunches of
dandelion greens. If my yard
is any indication, there will
be a bumper crop of wild
onions and dandelions this
year.
Suggests Using Cattails
Now you have all the in
gredients for "depression sal
ad," which, if you can af
ford it, can be served with
an oil and vinegar dressing.
If things are really rough,
you don't have to stop with
the salad course.
The Geographic tells us
there are all sorts of ways
to free-load on mother nature.
Cattails, for instance, are vir
tually a lunch in themselves, i
It also suggests chilled cat
brier sprouts, bread made of
seeds of cow lilies and cand
ied wild ginger, adding that
"wild-food experts still con
sider the unrolled fronds of
ostrich fern a choice treat
when served on toast with a
cream sauce." I
This should give you enough
dishes for a seven-course din
ner. Enjoyyourself, but please
don't invite me. i
Bob Rucker
CoenaKlef
0 Tfce 0t9 O
FUNERAL IUH
ft 0ee: to) ,'
. . Strft
demonstrations came in the
midst of planning for an Istan
bul meeting of NATO foreign
ministers anxious to show
their solidarity in advance of
Matter of Fact Joseph auo.
THE DECOUPLING
DISASTER
Washington-The tipsters say
that an agreement to ban nu
clear tests may be the one
solid, perma
nent, construc
lit? uS7
tive result of
the oncoming
V v fcri U'""ul liicci-
- -LMinr-. But. thc
sjrt-j scientists nave
now torn me
country that
i 42V I sucn an agree-
"tS; I ment, if reach-
joslth alSSF ed, will prob
ably not be constructive, or
solid, or even permanent.
The recent hearings on the
possibilities of an effective
agreement to stop nuclear test
ing have caused almost no
stir, because Dr. Hans Bethe,
Dr. Edward Toller, and the
other actors, used technical
language and spok6 in low
voices. Yet these hearings,
held by a special subcommit
tee of the Joint Committee
on Atomic Energy, were a
true magic drama; and they
also challenged fundamental
assumptions on current na
tional policy.
The scientists said, in sum
mary, that the system for ban
ning nuclear tests so painlully
worked out at Geneva could
not possibly be effective, be
cause the detection system was
so inadequate as to be really
worthless. Even Dr. Bethe, the
leading scientific advocate of
a ban on tests, was in regret
ful agreement with the others
on this crucial point.
TR.
L'th
BETHE suggested that
the Geneva system of a
world-wide net of 180 seismo
graphic watching stations
might be made to work by
the addition of no less than
800 unmanned, automated,
satellite watching stations in
the Soviet Union alone. But
these satellite stations, though
unmanned, would need a prob
able average of four impar
tial, independent service visits
each year, to keep their eyes
nd ears in honest working
order.
This would be the equiva
lent of 2,400 on-site inspections
in Russian territory. The Ge
neva negotiators hope, at best,
to secure Soviet agreement for
only about 20 on-site Inspec
tions. Dr. Harold Brown, himself
the chief American scientific
negotiator at Geneva, began
by casting grave doubts on
the value of these same on-
site inspections, which are sup
posed to be the chief means
of making secret nuclear tests
too risky. Dr. Brown pointed
out that the Geneva watching
stations could only locate an
underground nuclear test - if
they located it at ali-within
an area of 100 to 400 square
miles. Finding the site of the
test within this large area
would be much like the pro
verbial search in a haystack.
Even then, proof that a test
had actually occurred could
only be obtained by drilling
to secure the radioactive by
products. IN OUR own
ground tests,
shot in Nevada,
sole under
the Rainier
the site was
Clinic Construction
Planned at Salem
Salem -(0?D- A Eugene cou
ple announced plans today for
a $120,000 medical and dental
clinic near Salem Memorial
hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Chand
ler said construction began to
day. The clinic will have eight
medical and dental units.
Counsel With . . .
Mr. Insurance Fred Brennan
Free! Brannem
or call
Mr. Friendly
ill Fish
PhM m 74S
Mltwcttb 0
the coming summit confer
ence. Both, from whatever cause
they sprang, provided grist
for the Communist mill.
of course known with preci
sion. Even so, three months
time and two different drill
ing operations, were needed
to reach the buried radioac
tivity. Dr. Brown added dryly
that if a violator of the ban
on tests took reasonable pre
cautions, the chance of ex
posure by on-site Inspection
would be not "zero" but "close
to zero."
There was other depressing
testimony, on such matters as
the ease of secretly testing
nuclear super-weapons in out
er space. But the heart of the
drama was the phenomenon
known as "decoupling." The
discovery of the effects of
"decoupling" is what has
mainly knocked all the Ge
neva assumptions, and there
fore all our national policy
assumptions, into a cocked
hat.
This is because the Geneva
assumptions were based on
the Rainier test, where a nu
clear weapon was exploded in
a small hole in soft rock. The
explosion in Nevada was de
tected by seismographs as far
away as Alaska. Hence the Ge
neva negotiators assumed that
all underground explosions of
similar force would be similar
ly detectable. But they are
not. Later experiments have
conclusively proven 1 that if
you "decouple"-if you explode
the nuclear weapon in a large
hole in hard rock or rock-salt
-the explosion's earthquake
like effect can be reduced by
the gigantic factor of 300.
Thus highly significant tests,
of weapons of 20 to 30 kilo
tons, would go wholly unde
tected by the Geneva system's
180 seismographlc watching
stations.
Dr. Albert Latter, of the
Rand Corporation, grimly
proved the effectiveness of
"decoupling." L. P. Meade, of
the Phillips Petroleum Com
pany, then showed how the
oil companies were already
quite inexpensively making
suitable, large underground
holes In salt-domes, for storing
natural gas in liquid state. One
such hole of 500 feet diameter,
the full size needed to hide
a 20 to 30 klloton test, already
exists in the United States.
DR. TELLER then endorsed
the testimony of Dr. Brown
and Dr. Gerald Johnson ot the
Lawrence Radiation Labora
tory. Dr. Brown had said, "If
a violator can cheat with ex
plosions up to one kiloton, he
can do all the work necessary
for development of small tac
tical weapons. If he can cheat
up to 20 or 30 kilotons, he
can do a lot, but not all he
would probably want to do,
in developing strategic weap
ons." Dr. Johnson had said,
"If in addition he can cheat
in outer space in the mega
ton range, the full range of
energy releases is open to him,
to conduct a full scale weap
ons development program."
Dr. Teller remarked that he
"dared not say it was impos
sible" to Improve detection
methods so that concealment
of tests need not be feared,
yet he was pessimistic, to put
it mildly. Without questioning
his colleague's facts, Dr. Bethe
offered his improvement of
the Geneva system, of a char
acter to bring on immediate
apoplexy in Nikita S. Khrush
chev. And so the hearings
ended, with the world's hopes
of an immediately enforce
able nuclear test ban in shards
and rubble on the dusty floor.
The policy-makers' approach
to the problem thus created
will be examined in a further
report.
Copyright 1960, New York
Herald Tribune Inc.
A REAL HOT
DEAL
Someone must always lose
When FIRE and WATER
clashes,
But rest assured,
IF YOU'RE INSURED,
You'll be well paid for tht
shea.
ill Fish
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