January 1947
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.Tj( ("0-? L-. - p{o"i)C~~; t. No. l.>.·.f!.Jt?. ."f. Yea.t {Cf. '-1.Cf.· , .1------- ---, ......__~....,. THE . OF.FICIAL ORGAN OF THE W.A• . BRANCH OF THE R.S.S.A.I.L.A. c-.all, =- Clcbowledqe ~ •uch. mut DOt _ ..arUr be accept-.!. a• •talinq the oU!clal Yiewpolnt aegUtered at the G.P.O. Perth. for trmwnl.. toa br 1'oeta11 Subacrlpt!on: 3/8 per rmDWD Cl Kewerxri>er. GUARANTEED cmcu~rtoN _aa.o,oo (pcrtable In ad•ance) \1&1. XXVI. No. 1. PERTH : WESTERN AUSTRALIA JANUARY,l 947 WHILE writers rece~ly re out that the significa..9-ce of turned from Japan hav been atomic. energy's peacetime telling us much abo t the Controlling potential may be more easily devastation . caused by the Atomic Energy " I{ science could find understood when it is realised atom bombs dropped on a method of using bydrogen instead that .one po ·of uromium in the generation of atomic energy, und of uranium is Hir-oshima and Nagasaki, it would equivalent in productive. scientists undoubtedly be possible to create a bomb one thousand have been predict capacity to 1,500 tons of ing developments which will times os effective os the one dropped on Nagasaki." coal. -Professo However, there is an make the deadliest bombs of r Marcus L. Oliphant. other side to the picture. the recent war seem mere . Prof~sso r P. M. S. Blackett, toys by comparison. For instance, the former United * a· British scientist who, like ' Professor Oliphant, was States Assistant Secretary for War, Mr. John J. McCioy, one of those engaged in the production of the atom ~as described the first atom bomb dropped on Hiro bomb, states: "lt will take a considerable time, say shima as a "very crude affair-the crudest bonib 20 years, before atomic e nergy can b e harnessed for • of aii.".It laid waste (.the words are Mr. McCioy's own) normal industrial commerci-al use." He added that only one city and killed only 80,000 people. The Naga the capital expenditiure involved in such an enterprise saki bomb, which was also the type used in the Bikini would be gigantic. If there is a gleam of hope in this, tests, was far more devastating. Like Professor it lies in the possibility tihat what might be a retarding Oliphant,. ~r. McCioy declared that if hydrogen could influence in peaceful progre·ss might also be a restrain~ be used in the ~ generation of atomic en~fgy it would in g influence on preparations for war. be possible to produce a~ mb one thousand times as It would q'c blackin g o ut the g uiding lights of his powerful as the Nagasa bomb. The comparisons tory if we were to shut our eyes to the regrettable facts were obviously in relatio to the immediate reslftt of the that neither fears nor expense f1ave ever acted as deter explosion. The more remote results, such as the rents to war. Time and again have nations, ill-clad and dangers of radio-actUUty in the bombed area and the half-fed, with empty cQffers but· full c'qurage, fought on physical results. which,. according to medical men who · till they brought •wars to a victorious conclusion. flave observed them, might affect the third or. fourth Horrifying inventions have ap p~ared on the field of. generation of the survivors, cannot be determined for battle before today, bu t, so far from preventing wars, .. years to COJ11e. they have not by themselves always made victory pos We enter 1947, therefore, in fearful contemplation sible. The "Greek Fire" of Saracen times did not pre of the world's future in an era of unleashed and prob-' vent the Turks from over-running the Balkans. The ably misdirected atomic energy. The silver lining\ in. first use/of gunpowder in war "'\as an epoch-marking the cloud of -doubt ·and danger is th~ expe~tation that event in fe udal times. Its effect on public opinion was the most stupendous scientific discovery of the....century comparable with that evoked by the German use of may be of tremendous commercial and industrial value, poison gas in 19 15. Shakespeare was using no mere • while the use of the atom . bomb can make war so fi gure of speeclt when he spoke of "villainous saltpetre," appalling that tHe very fears engendered may .m~ke wars and Bayard, the personification of all that~as best in ( extremely unlikely, if not' altoget.per impossible. Both . the age of c~iv<D ry, never gave quarter to musketeers. in Britain and in the United State~ scientists have been During the Penmsular War, the French protested .that tackling the task of designing plants in which atomic the Bi·itish use ot the rifle was a breach of the rules of energy may .be co~erted into power with practical war and threatened reprisals against riflemen\ Itis in-· commercial uses. AI ady, as Professor ..QJiphant tells teresting to recall , that, in the same era, L'ord Dun ' us,· science is m akin rapid progress towards consum donald, the most famous of the British Admirals in the mation of applied· atomic energy. He considers that generation after Nelson, claimed that he ·could proouce uranium will one day play a smlilar part in inter a gas ftom tulphur that would dee-troy any fteet or aatitnal ec•ft•my' as ceal is playin~ . " tee!lay,. anti p~nts Jft-reu. The project was squashed bee«use it was ..t <-..__ . considered chivalrous. For similar reasons the use of smokescreem R.S.L. CORPS OF COMMISSIONAIRES by Her ' Majesty's Srups was forbidden during the Cri mean War. The R.S.L. Corps of Commissionaires was taken over from Modern sequels have shown that the most enlightened public the W .A. Corps of Commissionaires on July 22, opinion cannot prevent the use of devastating devices in war, any ~946, at a meeting held on that date. The purpose of the IS . more than t\le fear of such neviccs, by itself, can p ~rps ~o find a auitablc revent wars. type of lighter employment for Before 1939, pacifist professors used to paint lurid ~u r partly mc:rpaotated. men. With pictures of this object in view we feel, cities being drenched by gas from the air. Tnere was no absurdity ~1th mem~en co•operat10n, further employment will be fo~nd. It IS in their focecasts, but it was only ~hi! knowledge that Britain and the des~re of the R .S. ~ . t~ give a htLlc publicity America could rctaliare far more forcibly that prevented the Ger to thts chantg. The League feels th1s kind of employment would offer mans and the Japanese from using gas "during the recent war. So a goo opportunity foe the older se~ice it .might be with the atom bomb. men to rlo a useful public ser ·ce. The same would apply to the younger se At present, the problem Qf the future of atomic energy in re• rvicemen of the re~e nt war, who through war disabilitles arc unable lation to war is be·ing approached from two direc'tions. One is the to follow their pre•war· occupations. The Corps is con· fined to international control of production and use, and the other is keep• returned ex-servicemen. Only m ing everything that can be known about the new weapon a closely 'cn of exemplary character are accepted. As a result, guar,ded secret. Unfortunan:ly, the secrets of science cannot be the Corps consists of specially selected men accustomed, and still kept hidden for ever. That, however, is no reason why the secrets subJeCt to, discipline as members .of a service organisation and. should be disclosed prem;fturely. The efficacy of•intcrnational con· thercfore of particular value in all classea of employment. · trol, like aecurity and most other f ormulas of this post-war world, Owing to the stringent conditiona attached t o enrolment, ab· can be assured only if every nation plays fair. Further, no system ~olute reliance can be placed in any, member of t~e Corps aerit out of control can be accepted by the world u nle~s it. is accompanied for duty. Full and accurate recorda of each ,member• capabilitic; by a pooling of knowledge and sharing it ~~h Powers, who, enables tbe right man ro be aent for a )larticu.Jar duty, without frankly, arc not to be trusted with these secrets. Professor Oliphant delay, thus saving time and trouble to employer&. thinks that Russia, even if she works alone, will have the. secret Members on duty wear the new R.S. .L . Corps of Commiasionaires' of atomic energy within five years. ·Russia's Mr. Molotov has corn· untform \Vhich · adds prestige to the organisation. The men arc plained that Britain and America alone have knowledge pf the available for any type of employment, necessitating responsibility formula and ingredients of the atom bomb. Why this should and trust in either a permanent or temporary situation. • worry Russia or anyone else is hard for normal people to under· In the cases of exhibitions, race. meetings, balls, concerts, etc., stand. What it amounts to is this: the world's deadliest secret is where a larg~ number of men arc ·required, a specially qualified shared by the two branches of the English·spcaking race, who arc senior man will be sent in charge. · the only people that can safely be trusted with such knowledge. The following represent a few of the situations that can be Before · it can be discovered independently by other Powers, the fill ed by a member <Jf the Cor'ps: Commissionajre, Caretaker, Watch· _ U .N.O.