amt -4 With respect to the stories concerning widespread contamination of tuna and other fish as the result of the tests, the facta do not confirm them, The only contaminated fish discovered were those in the open hold of the Japanese trawler, Commissioner Crawfard of the U. 5. Food and Drug Administration has advised us: "Our inspectore found no instance of radioactivity in any shipments of fish from Pacific waters, Inspections were undertaken as a purely precautionary measure,... There is no occasion here for public apprehension about this type of contamination," I should perhaps note that in the waters around Bikini and Eniwetok at certain seasons of the year, almost all fish caught are normally poisonous as a result of feeding on certain seasonally prevalent micro-organisms, and the natives and our Task Force personnel do not eat them at such times. In the matter of indemnifying the Japanese, our Government has informed the Japanese Government that it is prepared to agree to reimbursement for such financial assistance as the Japanese Government and our Embassy in Tokyo, jointly, may find necessary as an interim measure to give to the persons involved for current medical care and family relief, including wages. With respect to the apprehension that fall-out radioactivity would move toward Japan on the Japanese Current, I can state that any radio- activity falling into the test area would become harmless within a few miles after being picked up by these currents which move slowly (less than one mile per hour) and would be completely undetectible within 500 miles or less, With respect to a story which received some currency last week to the effect that there is danger of a fall-out of radioactive material in the United States, it should be noted that after every test we have had and the Russiana tests as well there is a small increase in natural “background! radiation in some localities within the continental United States, but, currently, it is less than that observed after some of the previous continental and overseas tests, and far below the levels which could be harmful in any way to human beings, animals, or crops, It will decrease rapidly after the tests until the radiation level has returned approximately to the normal background. ; : i | A recent comment which I have been shown has suggested that the incident involving the fall-out on inhabited areas was actually a planned “part of the operation, 1 do not wish to comment on this other than to characterize it as utterly false, irresponsible, and gravely unjust to the men engaged in this patriotic service. Fimmtly, I would say that one important result of these hydrogen bomb developments has been the enhancement of our military capability to the point where we should soon be more free to increase our emphasis ao ay, REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHTD. RISERHOWER LIBRARY nO ‘| on the peaceful uses of atomic power -- at home and abroad. It will be a tremendous satisfaction to those who have participated in this program that it has hastened that day, ODER.|: 5 ahh We it, air ote. ##aed # # sis ereeh he ial ieeere aL Sealant ene le a ~