ll How can such guidelines be applied for the case of a war emergency? Dr. Edwin G. Williams, member of the U.S. National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP), the original Director of the Division of Radiological Health of the U.S. Public Health Service, and an early advisor to Civil Defense, had an expressive way of pointing out that radiation and biology are precisely the same in peacetime as in wartime. His statement to this effect was somewhat as follows: ''Gamma photons and beta particles don't know or care whether a war is on or not, and the cross section of a gene or chromosome is independent of the state of National emergency." But there are two important differences between peacetime indus- trial standards as defined by the NCRP and those that might have to be used ina war-time emergency. The peacetime standards apply to continuous exposure -- perhaps as long as one's normal working span -- whereas the wartime exposure situation most probably would be much shorter. And, secondly, in >eacetime one must apply factors of safety which might not be achieved in a war situation. Living in war- time is more dangerous and attempting to apply peacetime safety factors might divert attention and effort from more serious survival or recovery problems.