Continued from 7th Page interior subcommittee on appropriations. opened the first of a series of hearings on the moneybill and the plight of the Bikinians. At the April 12 session of the Yates subcommittee, Trust Territory officials testified that it was their belief Bikint Island would be off limits for 30 to 50 years but that Eneu, 10 miles away, Was likely to be a Safe site for permanent resettlement. Adrian Winkel, current high commissioner of the Trust Territory, testified that “even knowing of the danger.” those already living on Bikini Island wanted to stav there and that tnere was some indication others from Kali wanted to join them on the condemned home island. The suncommuiitee was told that final determination of whether Eneu was safe for permanent relocation could not be made until aout Jan. 1. 1979. when radioactivity levels of frit and vegetables grown in an experimental garden plot on the island would be made known by the Departmentof Energy. But the witnesses agreed that the Bikinians could remain where they were without harm until Jan. 1 if they just stuck to the rules and refrained from eating the coconuts—unless, they added in qualification, the medical tests (whole body counts) to be made on the Bikinians later in April showed sharp jumpsin internal radiaton dosage. And that was not expected. McCraw, now chief of special projects branch of the Energy Department’'s division of environmental! Safety, said in an interview in early May, “We can show that Eneuis lowér (in radioactivity) by a factor of 10 than Bikim Island. . . Eneu could be a residence island without restrictions, which means you can eat the fish you catch in the lagoon, you can grow any crop. I'm convinced that these Eneu (test) crops are going to show very much lower levels than the Bikini numbers.” At the Department of the Interior, Rutn Van Cieve. chief of territorial fiairs: John DeYoung. her top assis- tan' and Hign Commissioner Winkel he had heard stories of that time < his life. He repeated one now to the sut committee: When the naval office had told the people they must leas the island a generation ago, he ha compared them “to the children ofIs rael whom the Lord saved from the enemy and led into the promise land.”, - all thought Eneu was the most acceptabl> second choice of the Bikinians. But now all three were cautious about the data they were getting from the Energy Department. “All we can do at any stage ts listen to what the experts say—and hope they're night,” Mrs. Cleve said. It had not worked out that way. “The decisions of 1967-68 (that Bi“We are more akin to the childre kim was safe for resettiement) were of Israel when they left Egypt an based on available knowledge,” ' wandered through the desert for 4 Winkel said. “And nowweare in viryears,” the dark-skinned. dignifie tuaily the same position. The dec-' Bikinian said. “We left Bikini an sions we make now will be oased on have wandered through the ocean {c available knowledge.” 32 years, and we will never return t our promised land.” ‘ In fact Tomak: was back on Bikir But less than two weeks later, on June 1aténg with High Commis there was bad newsfor the B:kinians. sioner Winkel, but only to break th: The report on the April whole body news to the people and to discus counts on the Bikinians showed a with them where they wantedto go. Startling increase tn internal radiation Winkel’s recommendations wer doses. read into the record at the June I: The readings ranged up to .98, meeting of the Yates subcommittee nearly double the federal safety stanHe noted that those living on Bikin dard of .5 rems. Island told him that if they could no Including the external radiation doremain there, or at least on Eneu sage of .2, the sameas in the past, the they preferred to moveto “public dotop reading was 1.18. main” land in Hawaii or to the mainAt the same time, and justas startland of the United States. lingly, preliminary results of testing on coconuts grown on Eneu showed He said the majority of those living radioacuvity levels five to six times on Kili apparently preferred to rehigher than had been expected. Testifying at the May 22 session of maim there. But, he added, some the Yates subcommittee, Mrs. Van wanted to join the Bikini residents Cleve said the latest results required whereverthey might be relocated. Further tests on Eneu foodstuffs a fast overhaulof plans. First. she said, although there was would be required before the island no immediate hazard to their health. could be finally ruled out, Winkel the people must be removed from Bi- said. But he was not optimistic. And, kim Isiand within 90 days. Second, it without quite spelling it out, he appeared that Eneu must be ruled out seemed to dismiss the thoughtof reas the alternative site of the per- locating the Bikinians in Hawaii or on the mainland. manent resettlement. “On the basis of all the factors,” At the same session, at the head of Winkel summedup, “it is my decision a small delegation of Bikini leaders. that the people of BikimIsland should was Magistrate Tomaki Juda, son of be relocated to Kuli Island at this the man who was chief in 1946. Altime.” though born on Bikim, the 36-yearWinkel’s statement to the subcomold Tomak: was too young to remember detaus of the first removal. But Please Turn to Page 10, Col. 2 Tote vom? BIEN] ISLANDERS FACE REMOVAL