Trainman News

Atom Can Be Converted To Peaceful Use

LAFAYETTE, Ind. The U. S. stockpile of atom bombs can be diverted from planned purposes of destruction to production of peacetime power.

That is the statement of George Glasheen, Atomic Energy Commission education director. He was speaking at the Atoms for Peace Conference sponsored at Purdue University here by the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry.

Glasheen said it is possible to use the stockpile as "fissionable elements" for power production.

"This is the only weapon so adaptable," he declared.

Detailed diagrams of atomic energy reactor types were shown for the first time in the U. S. by AEC experts during the conference.

Louis A. Roddis, Jr., deputy director of the division of reactor development of the AEC, told the conference that, "By far the largest problem in atomic power today is that of technical manpower."

Roddis said he expected atomic power to be available at economical rates by 1960 through the experience gained in the operation of seven atomic plants now building or planned through joint financing by the AEC and private industry.

The U. S. faces "a real threat of losing leadership in the Atomic Age" to Soviet Russia unless more steps are taken to correct the American shortage in scientists, engineers and trained technicians, James Brownlow, president of the AFL Metal Trades Department, declared. He praised the UA apprentice training program as a means toward that end.

"The shortage is endangering our national security because our industrial strength is dependent on scientific and engineering skills," said Brownlow.

"Only a small fraction of one per cent of all the scientists in the country are now working on atomic problems, while the chemical industry has over ten times as many and the electrical industry over 20 times as many scientists and engineers," he said.

"The Russian rulers have been quick to grasp the significance of technology and skill in present-day power potentials. While we turned out about 19,000 engineers last year, the Soviets graduated twice as many. This year it is estimated they will turn out more than 50,000."

Other AEC speakers were Joe Machurak, who demonstrated the use of radioisotopes in medicine, agriculture and industry; F. L. Brannigan, who described means of protecting against health and safety hazards, and Robert E. Paher, who spoke on the problems of disposing of radioactive wastes, some of which have a half-life of thousands of years.

Among those at the conference were 170 apprentice instructors, representing 33 states and Canada, who develop teaching materials for craftsmen entering the trade. Cooperating in the training of instructors are the joint committee of the UA and industry contractors and the department of industrial education at Purdue. Most of the instructors are affiliated with the public school systems in their communities.

They conducted apprentice training in evening classes.