Office of the Historian

159. Letter From the Commissioner of the Atomic Energy Commission (Murray) to the President1

Washington, October 4, 1956.

Dear Mr. President: Your personal efforts and continuing leadership toward control of nuclear energy in the interest of world peace again leads me to present my views on the subject of a limitation on nuclear weapons testing.

I believe we should negotiate safeguarded agreements with the USSR and other nations to limit tests of nuclear weapons to yields not greater than one hundred kilotons. Such agreements would of necessity have to provide for carefully considered inspection measures which are capable of detecting any violation. Plans could be made and development programs continued so that such a violation would be followed by resumption of U.S. testing above one hundred kilotons within a few months. Moreover, our next series of tests of devices above one hundred kilotons is not scheduled until 1958.

In the meantime I would hope that you will consider taking independent action to discontinue tests of multi-megaton thermo-nuclear weapons while at the same time greatly accelerating tests of very small weapons. I stated this view at some length in testimony before the Subcommittee on Disarmament of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 12, 1956. A copy of my prepared statement was sent to your office at that time.2

I recently again stated my views on tests to the other members of the Commission in connection with Governor Stassen’s request for a Commission position.3 It is my prayerful hope that these views may be of some assistance in your efforts to find a solution to the ever-mounting nuclear threat of world destruction.4

Respectfully yours,

Thomas E. Murray
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Sp. Asst. for Nat. Sec. Affairs Records. Secret.↩
  2. See footnotes 2 and 3, Document 144,↩
  3. No record of Murray’s views on tests in connection with Stassen’s request has been found in the Eisenhower Library or Department of State files.↩

  4. Eisenhower responded to Murray in a letter of October 5, as follows:

    “Your letter written yesterday has been delivered to me. I appreciate your sending me your views regarding the testing of nuclear weapons of different sizes.

    “Because of the bearing of your letter on the responsibilities of the National Security Council and of Governor Stassen’s office, I have arranged for your views to be made available to those groups. In addition, I shall bear in mind the specific proposal you discuss as my own personal consideration of the matter continues.” (Eisenhower Library, Sp. Asst. for Nat. Sec. Affairs Records)

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