.___ - -._._.._._. -_. .._i..__..... -. - --A. .- .- K L :9 c &#39; J1? c 1 92 . V 3,1.-92 sh as-iazmavmzias I er osmium I QF : ._ lo H8-HS Albrecht Bethe , r Dr. Bethe, well known nuclear physicist, who is now on the faculty of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, advised Bureau agents that he has been a close associate and frien 0! Fuchs since first meeting him in 1934 at the University of Bristol, Bristol, England, where Fuchs was a graduate student and Bethe a research assistant. Dr. Bethe stated that during this initial period of association, which lasted for only six months, mny of the students and research assistants often gathered for political discussions and the majority seemed "tar to the left," but Bethe recalled that Fuchs never entered into these discussions and did not appear to have an political leanings. Bethe declared Fuchs appeared to have no particular friends or associates. Dr. Bethe further remarked that he probably contacted Fuchs profes- sionally in 1936 and 1938-in England and that his next contact with Fuchs came in the Summer of 1944, when Dr. Bethe was in charge of the Theoretical Physics Division at Les alamos, and continued until January, 1946, when Dr. Bethe left the project. Some details of this association, as well as of later meetings between Bethe and Fuchs, are included in this memorandum under the heading, "Access to Scientific Information and Disclosures to the Russians." 92 It was further learned from Dr. Bethe that while at Los Alamos, Fuchs lived in a dormitory on the project and owned a second-hand automobile. According to Dr. Bethe, Fuchs had no particular close friends at Los Alamos. Dr. Bethe declared that during his association with Fuchs, he never had any reason to suspect Fuchs of espionage activities or even to consider him pro~Russian. He said Fuchs always remained aloof from political discussions, was very quiet and reserved, and appeared to live for his work. Dr. Bethe advised that to his knowledge Fuchs never attempted to elicit an confidential information from his colleagues and he commented that Fuchs knew as much restricted information as anyone, and really did not have to do much questioning in order to know just what was going on. Dr. Bethe declared that Fuchs arrest came as a complete surprise to him ad he remarked that he now feels that he does not know whom he can ever trust since he had always regarded Fuchs as absolutely loyal and trustworthy. v, - Serial 326! TheBureau was advised confidentially by a press correspondent that, folloing the issuance of a public statement on February 4, 1950, by a group of &#39; atomic scientists, including Dr. Bethe, on the subject of the hydrogen bomb, Dr. Bethe commented off the record that he could understand wh Fuchs did what he did, and that he sympathizes with Fuchs attitude because,§£ter all, a scientist is of the world and works ior the world.! Serial 422! V u .; . ~ __.,».i-q.--o,-...-....a...,-.-q.....-»--.-,_ ~. - _. T - <--- 92 " &#39; """&#39;_ ""&#39; &#39;&#39; &#39; re E ,"92 _ Qi! P A ~ &#39; , Sim *7 g g During the period of Fuchs interview by Bureau representatives in London May20 through June 2, 1950!, Fuchs srtated that he had worked under Dr. Bethe at Los Alamos and visited Bethe in June or 1946 and in November of 1947 at Cornell Universi&#39;ty_. Memoto the Director from Messrs. Clegg and Lamphere dated I 6-6-50! 2. Karl Pale: Cohen . _ . Dr. Cohen was employed in the SAM Laboratories, Columbia University, New York City, from July 1, 1940, to April 29, 1944, first as a contractor with the Office of Scientific Research and Development and later with MED. He informed Bureau Agents that he had frequent contacts with Fuchs from late December, 1943, to April 29, 1944, when_Cohen resigned from his position. It was explained by Cohen he regarded himself as Fuchs counterpart in the United States atomic energy project, since Cohen was head of the Theoretical Physics Division am Ihzchs held the comparable post in the British group. as such, Cohen stated he had many meetings with Fuchs at the SAM _ Laboratories, and he acknowledged that he probably knew Fuchs better than any of the American scientists employed on the atomic energy project in Newlork City at that time. Cohen declared that with the exception of one social occasion, all of his meetings with Fuchs were limited to official business contacts. A _ Cohen mentioned a number of conferences held in the offices of Kellen, Inc., New York City, in December, 1943, and January, 1944., at which he was present along with General Leslie R. Groves, JamesB. Conant, Harold C. Urey, various Keller officials and representatives of the British Ministry of Supply Mission, including Fuchs. Cohen had further technical discussions with Fuchs in the Spring of 1944 and next saw him when he made a trip to Ins alamos in January, 1946, by which time Cohen had taken a position with the Standard Oil Development Company. Cohen next saw Fuchs in Novanber, 1947, when both attended the Deolassifioation Conference in Chicago, Illinois. _ Cohen commented that he was astounded by the arrest of Fuchs and stated that he had regarded him as a brilliant scientist. Cohen described Fuchs -as a shy, quiet individual who had very little to say on eqrgiven topic and who never expressed himself on the subject of politics. When asked if he had corre- sponded with Fuchs between the time the latter left the United States in 1946 and the Declassificetion Conference in November, 1947, Cohen answered by saying the agents should not have the idea Fuchs would want to recruit him for espionage since Fuchs knew more about atomic energy problems than Cohen did at any time. During interview with Fuchs in London in the period my 20 through June 2, 1950, Fuchs advised Bureau representatives that he had known Dr. Cohen during the period Fuchs was attached to the British Mission in New fork City. He also saw Cohen in November, 1947, at a rggtaurant in New 1&#39;01-1, 311,3 Fuchs W t _ . -.._.~.-¢---_--._....l_._...-...._,_s92... 92 -. &#39;-- &#39;"""&#39; """"&#39;-.4 " -1 ug &#39; 4 -1»; W! F I r left his hat in the restaurantand laterreguehted Cohento pickup the hatand return itto thehome Mrs.of H._;=W.B. Skinner in NewIork City. According to Fuchs, thisincident hadnothing todo withhis espionageactivities. Memo tothe Directorfrom Messrs.Clegg andLemphere dated 6-6-50! . 9- §.1=1er<1_.Ph11l1PaFs.vaeee Hr. Feynman,who isa Professorof Physicsat CornellUniversity, Ithaca, BowYork, andwho wasone ofthe leadersin theTheoretical Physics Division atLos Ale-mos,while I&#39;921chswas stationed there, informedBureau agents that hewas wellacquainted with Fuchs"-at Los Alancsand thatFuchs wouldprobably consider Feynmanhis closest friend. Feynmancharacterized Fuchsasa shy retiring individual andsaid Fuchswas almostalways inthe compawof the other members of the British Mission at Los Alamcs,particularly Rudolf Peierle. - According toFeynman, he and Fuchs discussedalmost nightlysubjects such as politics, security at Ios Alamosand frequentinterchange ofscientific data among nations,but Feynmanhad norecollection of Fuchs opinionon suchtopics. Feynman saidthat althoughFuchs knewhe wasmaking almostweekly tripsto Albuquerquesee to hiswife, Fuchsnever askedhim todeliver anymail ormessages or packagesfor him on theoccasion ofthese trips. Feynman wasunable tofurnish any informationabout anytrips Fuchsmay havemade fromLos Alamosto Santa Fe, although hestated thathe didnot recallever havinggone intoSanta Fewith Fuchs, and declaredthat it would havebeen aneasy matterfor Fuchsto havegone into Santa Feif he had sodesired. Feynmanrecalled thathe believes Fuchs wasfriendly at los Alamos withDr. JuliusAshkin whois presently at the University ofRochester Rochester, NewYork, and with RobertEugene Marshal:and hiswife, Ruth. Feynman didadvise that on someunrecalled date,he metFuchs andPeierls in the office of HansA. Bethe at CornellUniversity andhe believes this meeting occurred shortlybefore Fuchsand Peierlsreturned toEngland. Feynmanrecalled that whenhe askedFuchs whyhe did not remainpermanently the in UnitedStates, Fuchs repliedthat he felt he hadan obligation to continuehis work.for Great smash. LesAngeles lettersto Bureau dated 2-24and 2-2&#39;2-so! Serials 844,845! During interviewwith Bureaurepresentatives inLondon inthe period Her 20thrwsh -Ivne2, 1950. Fu.chs"advisedhe um-. knew Feynman los at Alamosand also sawhim inNovember, at1947, Cornell University. Helmew noof espionage or Communistactivities onthe partof Feynman. Memo the to Directorfrom Messrs. Clegg andIamphere dated6-6-50! 4. Victor Weisskopf _ Professor Weisskopf,who ison thefaculty ofthe MassachusettsInstitute vs v __._.- 1 -. - ,._.l__...,_ _...,,,._.....-~..-_....>. - _ . .. I -. 1 -&#39; * - . i &#39; rid F9 of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, advise/d agents that he was employed at Los alanos from June, 1943, to February, 1946,»-and that he first met lhzchs there then Fuchs arrived with the British 1-ssion. _ He continued that subsequently he had s. great deal of contact with Fuchs on a professional level in connection with the theoretical physics work at Ios Alamos, and also attended numerous social gatherings there at which Fuchs was also present. He recalled that Fuchs was very close, both professionally and socially, with Rudolf Peierls and that Martin Deutsch, now Associate Professor of Physics..at llassachusetts Institute of Technology, who was also at Los Alamos, had some social contact with Fuchs. Weisskopf further declared that he himself did not worlcwith the same group of physicists with whom Fuchs was associated at Los Alamos. Weisskopf was unable to furnish any information regarding the activities of Fuchs while the latter was away from Les Alamos. In addition to his association with Fuchs at los Alamos, Weisskopf saw Fuchs once and this resulted from a telephone call from Fuchs some time in 1947, while the latter was visiting the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Mr.