Colonel Kenneth B. Fielis
eS
11 October 2952
fe) Gontinsed
attitate became apparent on the part of the Atomic tuerey ‘Comntesion,
Congress, end the Bureau of the Budget, we could reduce ur engle
- peering group by perhaps 20 people, as well as free a ccuparabdle
“ mumber of senior people in the technical divisions froa further cone
gern in this matter end permit them to concentrate their energies on
the technical progren.
Additional housing might aleo be made
\
available at Los Alamos by a corresponding reduction in‘the local
Atontic Energy Comission engineering steff. an
his suggestion may actually be nade seriously since it ts
‘believed that the situation has been continuously deteriorating.
‘Yar from increasing morele by an expression of confidence in the
permanence anf capability of the Laboratory, the present attituies
_Sovards construction are seriously wnherminingit. —_
ra
{r) the Laboratory production responsibilities...
tt is curious to note that these alecusstons occur at8s time
when it hes been necessary for the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
to place 6-Bite on @ production basis for the 7-5 progrem, with the
sonsequent Gelay in resesrch and development effort in the inplosion field. This can, of course, continue to happen if there is
inadequate planning in connection with requirements. It is the
subject ef no little Laboretory bitterness that these criticians
are made of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory at precisely the
time vhen it has apparently been a military necessity to take a
retrogressive step in Laboratory philosophy anf return to the
the ecupletion of APPLE will permit the Laborstery to transfer
the major part of {ts active material engineering design, fabrication, inspection, assembly, and manual writing load. While this
cannot be expected to relieve the Laboratory to any crest extent
for at least a year or more, nevertheless it is s definite step in .
the right direction and one which will relieve the Laboratory of
considerable responsibilities in se routine field. Perhaps some
thirty or more individuals (or their housing) cen be reassigned in
consequence.
vith the exception of this last item, the Los Alamos Scientific
Laboratory doea not believe that the other possible changes are necessarily in the best national interest. Hovever, ve recognize the various
complications engendered by the current international and Washington
situation, and if such chenges are directed by the Atomis Energy
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