Pasadena Junior College auditorium, 8 PM, April 11, 1947

"The Significance of Nuclear Energy"

Introduction and scientific part - as to Women's Club

Greatest discovery ever made; Nature of nuclear reactions; Minuteness of nuclei; Amount of Th + U = 16x10^-6 = same as Pb, 1/3 of Cr. (Amount of lead mined in 1939 in US 667,000 tons)

1 ton U - 2 1/2 million tons coal. (nearly 1000 million tons coal/yr. needed. About 1000 yrs. supply estimated. Far more U & Th)

Uses - power plants in isolated regions. Distilling water. Manufacture of radioactive materials - 30,000,000 times all Pd [?] mined so far. Hanford. Uses in medical research.

Now this all sounds fine. I would like to continue to talk about science. But unfortunately it would be foolish to do so - if we do not talk about social and political matters, our science may well be lost to us.

First - the question of who is to benefit from this great discovery? The scientists have adopted a moral stand - they seem to believe in the Bible, in the teachings of Christ. They say "the people of the world should benefit from this great gift - it should not be used niggardly, for private profit of a few monopolistic owners, but should [LP side annotation: Szilard testified "in 15 or 20 years amount of U²³⁵ and Pu might give 15,000,000 kw, equal to prewar power production. Also Lillienthal said same thing.] relieve the suffering, help to eliminate starvation and malnutrition, contribute to the welfare of all people." Can there be anyone who believes otherwise? There can. We need only look at our present senators, Downey and Knowland, and consider one of the natural resources of California, its water. The Federal government for many years has been developing irrigation districts, with the people's money. In 1902 the law was made of a 160-acre limitation of property of 1 man to receive the bounty of irrigation, in order that as many people as possible benefit. Now, after 45 years, Senators Downey and Knowland have introduced a bill to abolish this limitation for the great Central Valley Project of California, where for hundreds of millions of dollars the government has built two great dams and a great canal, to irrigate around 5 million acres. One-half of the area is owned by 2% of the owners. Downey and Knowland want men who own 100,000 acres or more to profit by millions of dollars - increase in valley from $20 to $200 per acre.

Is the same idea present for atomic energy? Yes. The atomic energy program was held up for months, while the Senate discussed confirmation of Lilienthal. He was falsely accused of being a Communist - the real reason for opposition was that he had served effectively as head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and had kept the private power companies from arranging to profit from TVA electricity (at this moment there is a bill in congress designed to require Federal Reclamation electricity to be sold to private power companies in order that they may market it at a profit).

That is the first point.

Now for the second - the great danger which faces the world - that of an atomic bomb. Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists; Bombs cheap; Super bombs; No defense.

There must be no war. There is no other solution but effective international control of atomic energy and world disarmament.

Now, what can we do. We can be ready to urge our legislators on - to keep our Senators from backing away from the United Nations, as they did from the League of Nations 25 years ago. We can do our bit to counteract the active propaganda for war now being sponsored by so many interests - by people who place private property above human rights and human lives - especially the lives of other humans - people who are willing to face another devastating war rather than take the chance of diminishing their incomes.

What should be our attitude toward Russia? Ex-Governor Earle and others think we should wage an aggressive war and conquer Russia while she is weak. This is of course an indefensible attitude. I do not at all like the Russian system, with its brutal disregard of the rights of the individual. But I do not think we should fight Russia about this, any more than that we should fight Mississippi or Georgia because negroes are there denied their rights - we must work through education and example. In international affairs the Russians have been very difficult and irritating. We, as the older nation, priding ourselves on our democracy, our greatness, our wisdom, must take the lead; we must be a strong, positive force for peace, not an aggressor, an aggravator. I am sure that if our national policy were one of peace, and not of war, the world would be saved. We are spending $12 billion/year on preparation for war. We have given Russia aid to the extent of 100 million since the war's end - 1/4 as much as our former enemy, Italy. Now we are preparing to give 400 million to Greece and Turkey - 250 million of it for arms. Turkey was almost the same as an enemy during the war. Turkey is the most prosperous country in Europe and Asia. Turkey has an army of 1,000,000 men - with 1/11 our population! The $146 million dollars for Turkey is for guns and planes, to fight Russia. What do you think would be Russia's attitude if a few % of our war budget were devoted to Russian relief? I am sure that this path - the moral path, rather than the immoral path of war, would lead the world to peace.

Does such an opinion mean that a man is a Communist? Everyone is called a Communist now - last week the Building Contractors Association said the housing bills being considered by the State Legislature were "Communistic in theory and practice." Lilienthal was called a Communist: let me read his statement " - - - - - ."

The situation looks dark - an impending atomic war, a stubborn, recalcitrant Russia, a selfish, belligerent United States. But we do not need to despair - however to be optimistic we must work, we must do our part to help the world toward a peaceful and productive and unified future.