wo 2 on a time scale of about 18 to 24 months before being ready. A 31 Oct. TWX from Batzel of LRL to Betts notes that the underground shot program for LRL at the NTS through Nougat is essentially independent of whether or not atmospheric testing is resumed. In response to a 13 Sept. letter from Mr. Hollifield, the Chairman of the JCAE to the AEC Chairman expressing the concern of the JCAE that the preparations for and conduct of nuclear weapons testing might be conflicting with and, in fact, detracting from the other nuclear energy programs in, and particular, the Rover and Pluto programs. Dr. Seaborg responds on this day, Oct. 31, by stating that he believes that while the weapons test program particularly if it is accelerated, may have some affect on Rover, it will not be a substantial one. He discusses some of the actions that the Commission has taken and will tak2 to minimize the effects of the testing program. He further states that the specifics that apply to the Rover program apply generally to the Pluto program also. A 1 Nov. TWX from Reeves of ALO to Betts goes into a great deal of detail in the assessment of possible overseas sites for the conduct of the long- range test program. Those four areas that are addressed are Eniwetok, Bikini, Johnston Atoll and Christmas Island. The advantages and dis- advantages of each area are listed. Summary quoted here. "In summary, on the basis of a permanent long-range test facility, it would appear that Christmas Island from the standpoint of weather conditions, fallout problems, and international objections to testing activities, would have distinct advantages over Eniwetok. In the long run, any immediate savings that might accrue by use of existing support and scientific facilities on Eniwetok would be far outweighed by operational advantages of Christmas Island. It also appears that should Christmas Island prove unacceptable for high altitude testing, a separate facility for this activity could be established at Johnston Island, and the increased cost and disadvantage of operating two sites would still be more than off-set by the disadvantages of the combined facilities of Eniwetok-Bikini. This recommendation is based on one premise: That we are given complete operational control of Christmas Island." On the same date, 1 Nov., Gen. Betts sent a similar memo to Chairman Seaborg on the subject of assessment of overseas test sites. He included the details of the various sites that we“sent to him by ALO and made essentially the same recommendations about the use of Christmas Island and Christmas in conjunction with Johnston Island as opposed to using Eniwetok and Bikini for a long-range test program which was assumed to be a test series con- ducted over an indefinite period of time with devices fired when ready and using maximum diagnostics. The great desirability of having such a fullscale test program as opposed to a completely airborne and hence, minimum diagnostics operation is emphasized and an intermediate step between the two programs is discussed as a program which could "be carried out largely by airdrops in the vicinity of an island on which we could establish a higher level of instrumentation for diagnostic measurements than could be provided