GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTER
to the
U. 5S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
Washington 25, D. C.
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April 9, 1954
Mr, Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman
U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
Washitigton.25, D. C.
Dear Mr, Strauss:
This letter is the first section of the usual report of the
Chairman of the General Advisory Committee to the Chairman of the
Atomic Energy Commission which follows a meeting of the GAC. ‘This
letter covers the discussion of the GAC at its meetings on March
31, April 1 and 2, 1954, of the staff papers and recommendations
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with respect to the Nevada Proving Grounds (AEC 141/22 and 141/23;
Report of the Committee to Study the NPG, dated Feb, 1, 1954;
Report of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine),
_
‘The General Advisory Committee has already made its views on
the subject of weapon testing known to the AEC in the report of
the Chairman of the GAC dated February 10, 1953,
paragraph reads as follows:
The relevant
"The level of effort in test programs has been increased
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greatly in recent years; this has undoubtedly been a very
significant factor in the weapon progress which has been
hay oo achieved.
CLASSIFIC
BY AUTHORITY
OF DOE/Ge
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We feel thatthe test programs are technically
very desirable and are extremely useful in the Commission's .
ws program of weapon development.
There are indications that,
Ss m even in its present advanced status, our actual test capaba
bility may not be adequate for all of the experiments which
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considered whether this capability should be increased.
since the results of the test programs are certain to affect
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it would be valuable to carry out; and, hence, we have
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the optimum composition of the stockpile with respect to
weapon types, and since the information will be mostuseful
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refabrication becomes an unmanageable task, we are led to
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before the stockpile increases to the point that weapon
favor an increase in the weapon testing capabilities in the
near future,"