ae
shot would be cheap compared to a full Christmas Tree attempt and Bradbury

understands that Foster supports the idea of a space shot directed toward
the similar objectives.

In a TWX to the labs and ALO on 12 Dec. Gen. Betts outlines the letters

from Seaborg to the President on the NSC Committee shot list and recommendations for schedules etc. for an atmospheric test series as well as some of
the President's feedback following the initial letter and asks that the labs
continue planning for atmospheric testing according to this guidance. Among

other things he notes that the President has not approved the atmospheric

test list, nor has he approved the test period between April 1 and June 15,

nor has he made a final decision on the actual resumption of testing.

In a TWX on 12 Dec. Betts asks Bradbury, Foster and Reeves to continue

!

on

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See ere

considering the question of

On 12 Dec. Betts sent a TWX to Bradbury in regard to a letter from the
DDR&E to Seaborg on 1 Dec.

That letter referred to the gray area of

responsibility for certain types of test measurements between the DOD and

the ACC.

The problem area has to do with a particular effects test which

the DOD felt was. being generated by LASL for the Army and hadn't been properly
handled in that DASA should have responsibility for arranging and planning
for effects tests as this was felt to be, The letter from DDR&E to Seaborg
discusses in a little detail the historical and legal division between
responsibilities for weapons tests diagnostics that affect performance and

design of the weapon as being the AEC responsibility and output measurements

and measurement of effects caused by weapons output as being the DOD responsibility.
Betts is asking Bradbury for assistance in preparing the Chairman's

response to the DDR&E letter and is taking the approach that this particular

device, which is a warhead for the Nike Zeus, must have the military characteristics and in particular the neutron output spectrum verified and that therefore this is actually a test for diagnostic measurements that affect perform-

ance and design of the weapon.

Not only does Betts feel that there is mis-

understanding between whether this is a development test or an effects test,

or a test by some other name, but that also there was a question as to where
the request for the test came and that Betts feels that it came from the DOD
to the AEC and not as alledged from the Army directly to LASL.

At the request of the President, Dr. Harold Brown, who I believe was DDR&E,
sent the President a rather lengthy letter on 12 Dec. addressing the justification, for the need for and the specifics of the various tests which should
be included in or should not be included in an atmospheric test resumption.
Although Brown was a member of Seaborg's committee which had submitted a
couple weeks earlier their own position, Brown comments here on the specifics
of that.
I believe he makes a strong justification for the need for development tests, as well as effects tests, and he makes some rather convincing

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