- JUf-.Z J T".
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREGON
THURSDAY. JULY 4. 1963 J
ady Promise
Mud
By GEORGE C. HARLAN
United Presi International
New York - (t'PU - The
peaceful atom experienced
a notoriety as short
lived as a Miss America. Al
though eclipsed by space ex
ploration, it is a good bet
that nuclear energy will have
fulfilled much of its early
promise by the time man first
touches down on the moon.
After years of frustrations'
and disenchantment, recent
technological b r e akthroughs
in harnessing the power of
the atom have triggered re
newed activity in the field.
In some quarters a "go for
broke" effort is being made
to challenge coal by 1970 as
the nation's main source of
power for home and industry.
But it shapes up as tough
battle against competing fuels
and a large segment of the
public which views with
alarm crackling atoms as a
close neighbor.
Proponents of atomic power
concede that this new energy
source will not in the foresee
able future replace conven
tional fuel sources - coal,
water, oil and gas - but argue
that it will be needed to sup
plement present fuels to meet
the expected rapid expansion
of power needs.
em : iraeirgy To
An official of the Atomic
Energy commission (AEC) has
estimated that conventional
fuel resources would be ex
hausted within 75 to 100 years
unless supplements are found.
Until very recently, pro
ducing electricity from an
atomic reaction was too costly
to compete with conventional
means except in certain re
gions where coal or water are
not readily available.
Over the past decade most
atomic power plants were
built as experiments with big
injections of federal funds.
The government is still under
writing a sizable portion of
atomic research and develop
ment, but private industry,
after years of cautious skepti
cism, today is gambling mil
lions in the hope of someday
reaping big profits from the
venture.
Scientists at the sprawling
Vallecitos, Calif., atomic lab
oratory of General Electric,
which is one of several large
industrial firms with a heavy
stake in the future of the
atom, already are looking be
yond power generation from
uranium to plutonium-burning
machines. Dr. Lamar P. Bupp,
manager of the laboratory,
says plutonium promises "sig
nificantly cheaper," fuel with
in a decade.
But even in the present
state of technology atomic
energy could compete with
new conventional installations
in about 50 per cent of the
nation's power markets. Prog
ress in this area has outstrip
ped some of the more optimis
tic timetables in the past six
months.
The significance of all this
has not been lost on the coal
industry - the backbone of
modern industrial society.
One of the largest markets for
coal is power production. This
market accounts for nearly 50
per cent of all coal consump
tion. The battle line between
these two antagonists has
been drawn. The price of coal
had been rising roughly 2 per
cent a year, but in the past
year or so this trend has been
halted and in some instances
reversed. The potential threat
from the atom is thought to
have contributed to the down
ward pressure on coal prices.
It is understood that negotia
tions or even rumors of a new
atomic power plant contract
has triggered a reaction in the
price of coal in the area.
Moving Target
As a Westinghouse official
put it: "We are shooting at a
moving target" in the cost bat
tle with coal.
rf
j-
WAIL BOMBED Spectators look at the
rubble of a wall around the U.S. Military
Assistance Advisory Group compound at
Saigon after Viet Cong guerrillas placed
three bombs around the wall. Ten Vietna
mese, living in adjacent buildings, were
killed by the blasts and 43 were injured,
including five Americans. (UP1)
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The coal industry, which is
slowly recuperating from
years of financial ills, com
plains that atomic power is
receiving preferential treat
ment from the government.
Coal officials note that since
its inception in 1946 the
peaceful atom has been nour
ished by upwards of $4.5 bil
lion in government subsidies.
The industry lobby has
bombarded Congress with de
mands that coal be given an
equal shake with atomic pow
er in future appropriations for
research and development.
To date there are 25 atomic
power plants either in oper
ation or in varying stages of
planning, develop m e n t and
construction in this country.
Many are in the so-called high
fuel cost areas of the Pacific
Coast and New England. But
three are in the heart of the
Pennsylvania coal region.
Ten of these are now oper
ating and eight are scheduled
to be functioning by the end
of 1963. All are expected to
be working by 1970. The total
investment will be about $1.2
billion.
Powerful Ally
The coal industry has found
in the railroads a powerful
ally in its fight to retain its
long dominant role as a fuel
supplier. The fortunes, of the
two industries are bound up
closely, particularly in the
east and midwest where coal
is a major freight commodity.
As a result, they have joined
forces to protect coal markets.
A sobering fact for railmen
is that a single freight car can
transport one atomic fuel core
to operate a nuclear power
plant for about a year.
Several eastern-based roads
have succeeded in cutting the
cost of hauling coal from the
mine head to the power gen
erating station by means of a
shuttle service. Later this
year, three railroads are
scheduled to start shuttling
coal to a big Cleveland utility
at cut-rate prices. If success
ful, the scheme will mothball
the nation's only coal pipeline.
Atomic enthusiasts reckon
that even if coal transporta
tion costs were slashed in half,
nuclear power could still com
pete today in 30 per cent of
the nation's energy markets.
But should atomic power
make deep inroads on the
market for coal, few responsi
ble persons are writing off the
future of the coal industry.
Much of the ground coal
forced to give up to competing
fuels, is expected to be re
gained through expanding
power needs and growing out
lets in the chemical and petro
chemical industries.
Fear A Challenge
Perhaps the most formid-
a b 1 e challenge to atomic
power is posed by an enemy
that is both invisible and un
predictable - fear.
As the offspring of the
world's most awesomely de
structive force atomic energy
has inherited a legacy of
dread.
Radiation is the only hazard
associated with an atomic
power station. The nature of
the atomic reaction makes any
bomb like explosion impossible.
Under the present "guide
lines" Imposed by the AEC
centers of dense population
are off limits for any sizable
atomic plant. However, the
AEC Insists that these guide
lines are flexible and that
each atomic plant permit will
be judged on its own merits.
Power from the atom must
be tapped in the area served
to be competitive with power
stations using other fuels. It
is generally felt that on the
issue of location hangs the fu
ture of nuclear power as a
source of electricity in large
metropolitan areas.
During the 20-year life of
the atomic energy program
the safety record has been re
markable by any industrial
standard. AEC figures show
that over this span only six
deaths have resulted from
overdoses of radiation and
these facilities occurred at
experimental installations.
Never Penetrates
Of even more significance
is the fact that there has
never been a case where radi
ation leakage above pcrmiss-
able limits has penetrated out
side the housing of a reactor,
A showdown on the issue is
shaping up In New York City
where the Consolidated Edi
son Co. has proposed construc
tion of an atomic power plant
in the heart of the most
densely populated area in the
nation.
The plant would rise on a
site along the East river op
posite Manhattan island. It
would generate enough elec
tricity to furnish one-fifth of
the city's present needs.
Although scientists are di
vided on the hazards attached
to nuclear projects in heavily
populated areas, atomic ad
herents say the record speaks
for itself.
A notable dissenting voice
is that of David E. Lilicnthal,
first chairman of the AEC.
Long an outspoken critic of
atomic energy development,
Lilienthal recently said he
would not want to live in the
Borough of Queens If the pro
posed reactor is built.
The dispute over atomic
plant sites has cropped up in
other parts of the country.
A court suit to enjoin the
operation of the completed
Lagoona Beach reactor 30
miles from Detroit was up
held by a U.S. appeals court
but overturned by the Su
preme Court. Operation of the
installation still awaits a new
Al'.C review. The location of
the Bodega Bay reactor, 50
miles north of San Francisco,
is embroiled in the courts, but
over a conservation issue.
The outcome of the strug
gle of atomic power to win ac
ceptance is still unclear. But
the stakes are said to be large.
The AEC has forecast that if
the way is opened half of the
nation's electric power will
be generated by the atom by .
the end of this century at an
nual savings of $4 to $5 bil
lion over conventional meth
ods. ,
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Grange News
Phnamv Cranai
The visitation meeting ot
Phoenix Grange was held at
the elementary school with
242 members present. There
were eight visiting masters
and State Overfeer Roscoe
Roberts. Upper Rogue Grange
opened and closed the meet
ing.
Pomona Master Melvin Lat
tie reported on what the Ore
gon State Grange plans to do
about the recent tax legisla
tion. The diminishing family
farm was commented on ty
Roberts, and he urged an in
crease of interest on the
problem.
Some of the visiting mas
ters told of work accomplished
at the State Grange conven
tion this year.
Mr. Rprt Stancliff describ
ed the process in making the
ceramic items on me oispiay
table. The dishes were made
by women of Phoenix Grange.
Acting in "Old MacDon
aid's Farm" were Mervin
uivimn Warren Loffer. and
Fred Meadows with accordion
accompaniment by Mrs. rrca
MAarlnivi
ijrtnrir Mrs. Lester Carr
and Mrs. Ralph Swingle did
. .-nn .kit Mrs. George
Hartley played the piano
while Vaughn yuacKenousn
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Cox enacted a tameau.
i Th r.ranee Council meet
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