In the case of residual radioactivity--fallout--an understagding of how radiation results in injury and death, what constitutes effdctive shielding against it, how it decays, how it may be safely removep from an area, and similar matters can mean the difference between lifP and death, or sickness and health, for a very considerable number of |people. This would be true over considerable areas and could make a sign§ficant difference for some millions of people in large-scale attack, even without the special provision of shelters.* With respect to the point that "the strengthening of the civi] de- fense program is an essential supplement” to the Panel's proposal, careful reading of the report reveals that the Panel's chief concen is that "there must be independent evidence that the Federal, State apd local governments are preparing themselves" (p. 13). ‘The Panel thqn goes on to cite, as illustrative preparations, a number of steps in civil defense which are likely to be taken as significant indices of the seriousness with which the several levels of government view the situation. fense, on problems of forsign policy, disarmament, ete.. Aside from |the fact that much educational and informational effort is now being devo} to these objectives, it is clear that in a democracy a substantial degree of understanding must precede the accomplishment of almost every impoy- tant program goal. The requisite degree of such understanding does nqdt now exist, in my opinion, with respect to nuclear weapons effects and civil defense. The same group discussions that contribute to the psy- chological preparation of the participants for a post-attack situation can be expected to make a substantial contribution to an understanding of the difficult problems and decisions involved in the field of nonmilitary defense. Paragraph 6-c: A “monumental effort in the field of public enlight =aoerepewe enmnent' might well be justified in order to correct misinformation and "slanted" points of view that have recently received widespread publicit as a result of the Congressional hearings on radiation. Actually, the program might result in an understanding that the prospect is not as bad as it has recently been painted. \* As a case in point, it is unlikely that any serious effects would have been \ suffered by the fishermen on The Fortunate Dragon in March 1954 if they had \ recognized that the fine ash that settled on the ship was radioactive and \ had immediately undertaken to flush it over the side. Instead, they were ; curious about it, and according to reports at the time, one man even coli lected a small bag of the ash as a souvenir and slept with it under his pillow, thus insuring a close and concentrated source of radiation! mm OR a 3 on Et ’ , ks ws in Wf WO " ‘ , ‘ more TOP SECRET , “se ,