Office of the Historian

S/P–NSC files, lot 62 D 1, “Atomic Energy—Peaceful Uses”

Memorandum for the National Security Council, by the Special Assistant to the President (Cutler)1

confidential
Washington, December 11, 1953.
  • Subject:
  • Development of Nuclear Power

References:

A.
NSC 149/2, paragraph 72
B.
Memo for NSC from Executive Secretary, same subject, dated October 20, 19533
1.
On April 29, 1953, the President approved NSC 149/2, which included as paragraph 7 the attached statement of policy on the “Development of Nuclear Power”. (See Annex A)4
2.
It is desirable that the Council at this time make clear that the attached statement of policy has not been superseded by the subsequent approval of the policy statements contained in NSC 153/1 and 162/2.5
3.
The national security is affected by a policy looking toward the development of nuclear power for peaceful use in the following principal ways:
a.
The extent to which U.S. military capabilities might be affected by the diversion of some fissionable material for peaceful purposes.
b.
The security of the diverted fissionable material to prevent its military use by enemies.
c.
The requirement that all fissionable material be available to the U.S. Government for military purposes in the event of war.
d.
The impact which the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, rather than for war, may have upon the foreign policy and world leadership of the United States.
4.
Programs for the development of nuclear power for peaceful use involve other policy issues, particularly of an economic nature, which are not the direct concern of the National Security Council.
5.
On October 5, 1953, the Secretary of Commerce, by the attached letter (Annex B)6 raised a question with respect to the attached policy for the development of nuclear power. He requested that the economic factors involved in the development of nuclear power by private industry be given additional study, prior to final [Page 1297] approval of the national policy, since he is of the opinion that the present tight control should be relaxed in limited steps.
6.
A Special Committee composed of representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, and the Office of Defense Mobilization, was constituted to examine into the question raised by the Secretary of Commerce. Although the Planning Board has not had opportunity as yet to consider certain recommendations by this Committee, the urgency in connection with the 1954 Legislative Program makes it necessary for the Council to consider at its meeting on Tuesday, December 15, 1953, one aspect of this issue:

Should the legislation to be proposed in conformity with the attached policy, which provides for sale or lease of fissionable material, be modified so as to provide solely for the lease of fissionable material?7

Robert Cutler
  1. Copies to the Secretaries of Commerce and of the Treasury, to the Directors of the Bureau of the Budget and Central Intelligence, and to the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.↩
  2. For text of NSC 149/2, Apr. 29, see p. 305.↩
  3. Not printed.↩
  4. Annex A is not printed.↩
  5. Dated June 10 and Oct. 30, pp. 378 and 577, respectively.↩
  6. Annex B is not printed.↩

  7. Following discussion of this topic at its 175th meeting on Dec. 15, 1953, the National Security Council in NSC Action No. 985:

    • “a. Agreed that the statement of policy on the subject contained in paragraph 7 of NSC 149/2 (Annex A to the reference memorandum of December 11) has not been superseded by the subsequent approval of policy statements contained in NSC 153/1 and NSC 162/2.
    • “b. Agreed that the legislation to be proposed in conformity with this policy should provide for either the sale or lease of fissionable material.

    “Note: The action in b above subsequently transmitted to the Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, for implementation.” (S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) files, lot 66 D 95, “NSC Records of Decision, 1953”)

    ↩