The question of the development and testing of nuclear weapons can be divided into two components: first - disarmament, and t+ x OF I3x7-A second - fears of radioactive fallout. a With respect to disarmament, the Administration of President, Eisenhower has certainly made, and continues to make, the most vigorous efforts to bring about international agreement on a system of disarmament which would eliminate or reduce the production and testing of nuclear weapons. Until such an agreement is obtained, with guarantees which protect the American people and the peoples of the free world, we have no prudent course except to continue the development and testing of the most modern weapons of defense, With respect to radioactive fallout from nuclear explosions, the most authoritative information available on this subject is to be found in the recent study conducted by the Academy-os—_*OF l y Sciences. This study was independent of the Government and was generally confirmed by a separate study made by the British +: Medical Research Council and reported to Parliament. Both studies concluded that the unavoidable exposure to cosmic rays, normal] radioactivity in the soil and medical use of x-rays very greatly exceeded the exposure that results from the tests of weapons, even assuming such tests are continued into the future at the present rate. We regret the injection into a political campaign of statements and conclusions which extend beyond the limits of existing scientific evidence, Such scientific matters of vital importance can only be evaluated by calm deliberations, Dr. Roger Adams _o* Head of Chemistry Department University of Dlinois Dr, Carroll Hochwalt Ch@mist yw , Dr. Warren C, Johnson * “ Director of Physical Sciences Dr. JohnBugher__._" Director of Medical Education and Public Health of the \ University of Chicago el Rockefeller Foundatinn resident Dr. JesseW. Beams ___.. Bell Laboratories University of Virginia Dr, Eger V. Murphree Dr. G. Failla President Esso Research & Engineering Co. _.* Dr, C. P. Rhoads __. as ' Director of Memorial Hospital ™ DirectorofRadidicpical Research Laboratory of the College of Physicians and Surgeons President, Case Institute and the Sloan-Kettering Institute Dr. J, C. Warner President Carnegie Institute of Technology Columbia University Dr. T. Keith Glennan < ¥. Be ee ee> ee ee Dr.JohnDunning. Dean of Engineering Columbia University = Professor of Physics