duetion reactors such as those at the Hanford Works, The Bikinifallout incident made it abundantly clear that fallout was impor- tant from the standpoint of continued weapons testing and as a factor in civil defense planning, The problem of radiation effects has been under continuing review by the U.K, and Canada Tripartite meetings, AEC and by the joint U.S., In addition, the AEC has con- tributed a major portion of the basis scientific data for the deliberations of the National Ccmmittee for Radiation Protection and the International Commission for Radiation Protection, A few words are in order on the general approach of the NAS study committees, They did rot include an evaluation of the effects of an atomic war, As Dr, Bronk stated in the press conference of June 12, 1956, he sould not define an atomic war so he asked the ccmmittees to limit themselves to peacetime atomic energy activities including weapons testing, In the Forewrd to the Summary Report, Dr. Bronk stated: "The use of atomic energy is perhaps one of the few major techno-. logical developments of the past 50 years in which careful consideration of the relationship of a new technology to the needs and welfare of human beings has kept pace with its development, Almost from the very beginning of the day of the Menhattan Project careful attention has been given to the bislogizai ard medical aspects of the subject. By contras+, the automobile revoluticnized our pattern of living and working but we are only now beginning ts appreciate the problems of safety, urban congestion, nervous tension and atmospheric pollution which have accompanied its development, In the same way, the development of the airsraft industry cutran our knowledge of how to meet the environmental needs of the human beings it intended to transport through the skies," NAS The scientists, save for the geneticists, were all persons who had actively participated in the past in the efforts to reduce industrial toxicological hazards, air pollution, stream and harbor pollution, and soil and crop pollution, and destruction which has occurred with developing industries largely uncontrolled until serious damage had already taken plese, They are determined that with a much greater body of knowledge to draw cn soncerning radiation effects, similar situations will not arise as a result of the rapidly growing atomic energy industry with its even greater potential dangers, , fe 2 24F 51 THE COLLEGUONS fe ARCH'VES OF THE RATIONAL ACALEMY CE SCIENCES st Consequently, onse they had assured themselves on two points, namely: weapons testing at the present rate and with present safeguards was not a present menanse, and the safety precautions of our present atomic energy operations were indead effective, they became preoccupied with pointing out the problems inherent in a greatly expanded atcmic energy industry, There constantly recurg through the report the idea that all is well tcday but for the future let us be very careful indeed,