Sharing the Atom

Less than nine months ago, President Eisenhower stood before the U.N. General Assembly and made his historic proposal to pool atomic energy for peacetime uses. When the Soviet Union quietly sabotaged East-West negotiations on the plan, the U.S. turned to more limited discussions with a select group of nations. This week the President revealed for the first time the result of those discussions. In a brief television speech, he announced that the U.S. had negotiated agreement on an international agency to pool both atomic knowledge and materials and to turn them to peaceful use.

The occasion of Ike's remarks was a ground-breaking ceremony at Shippingport, Pa. for the world's first full-scale commercial atomic power plant. Speaking from Denver, Ike said the plant would bring mankind "closer to the fulfillment of the ancient dream of a new and better earth."

He added: "But we do not stop with this plan, nor, indeed with our own country's hopes and dreams . . . We have just agreed with a number of other nations to go ahead with the formation of an international agency which will foster the growth and spread of this new atomic technology for peaceful use. Atomic materials for projects sponsored by this agency will be set aside for that purpose. We hope that no nation will long stand aloof from the work of this agency."

The President furnished a few details. Said he: "As these arrangements are being made we will set up a reactor school to help train representatives of friendly nations in skills needed for their own atomic program. Discussions will shortly take place on cooperation with countries planning to build their own research reactors." The U.S. was, he said, about to negotiate with Belgium on the building of an atomic tower reactor in that country; this week detailed negotiations will begin with Canada, and negotiations with other nations will swiftly follow.

The President did not name the other nations included in the agreement, but they were Great Britain, France, Australia and South Africa.

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