Policy Planning Staff Files
Minutes of the Fifth Meeting of the Policy Planning Staff on the International Control of Atomic Energy
top secret
[Washington,] October 21, 1949.
Present:
- George Kennan
- Paul Nitze
- Gordon Arneson, U
- Dr. Karl T. Compton, Director, Research and Development Board, Department of Defense
- Robert Hooker
- Carlton Savage
- 1.
- Dr. Compton, upon being informed of the nature of our investigation, said he was firmly convinced that there should be closer cooperation between the British, Canadians, and ourselves on atomic energy matters. He said that a number of British scientists are outstanding in this field and could make a marked contribution to the solution of common problems. They should be especially helpful in the detection of what is going on in Russia, including rate of progress.
- 2.
- Dr. Compton said that our recovery of uranium from ore was only about 5 to 10% and that the process is being perfected whereby the recovery should be much greater. He realizes that there are great possibilities for the utilization of low-grade ore.
- 3.
- It is possible, he said, that the Russians will develop radio-active materials as by-products in the atomic process. We have not yet made much progress along this line.
- 4.
- He would not be willing to have us sponsor universal abolition of the atomic process for both war and peace purposes; such action would menace our security as the Russians have a great advantage over us in conventional weapons.
- 5.
- Dr. Compton thought there was something to be said for an announcement by this Government that if the U.N. plan on atomic energy isn’t accepted by a given date, we would withdraw our support from it. He would not favor any material modification in the U.N. plan.
- 6.
- In answer to a question whether he would be willing to see our atomic bombs dismantled, the introduction of an effective international inspection system, and no international control of the atomic energy process, Dr. Compton said he would not favor this as we would be put [Page 196] at a military disadvantage by our present advanced position in the atomic process.
- 7.
- He feels that a number of German and other European atomic scientists have gone over to Russia because Russia offered great incentives to them and because we did not show much interest in them. He thinks that we should now make every effort to get such scientists to participate in our atomic activities.
- 8.
- Dr. Compton is not yet convinced that we should go in for an extensive program of civilian defense.