The Lincoln Times

Scientist Expresses
Belief Atom Bomb
Means End Of Wars

Washington, Dec. 4.-Dr. Vanevar Bush expressed the cheering belief today that "the atomic bomb means the end of world war."

The scientist who directed the development of this and other weapons as head of the national defense research committee and the office of scientific research and development predicted it would take a long time to set up atomic controls.

But he told the special Senate committee on atomic energy that all the nations now want a long peace and this period can be used to develop the control machinery. He added that two nations armed with atomic bombs would not consider going to war against each other because the consequences would be "too terrible."

Dr. Bush testified that the decision to use new incendiaries against Japanese cities was made by the late President Roosevelt personally.

The scientist later told newsmen that the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan was made by President Truman at Potsdam.

Dr. Bush said that his scientists developed the powerful incendiaries but there was some question about use of them against cities because they would kill so many civilians in order to destroy factories.

"The decision to use them was made by President Roosevelt," Dr. Bush said.

The scientist said the first task for the United States was to set up effective domestic controls as a pattern for possible world use of atomic energy. This would be a long and trying process, he added, requiring wisdom of the congress and administrators placed in control under legislation.

Progress will be slow, Dr. Bush conceded, on the international side of control but he noted that the easiest way to solve any difficult problem was to "attack at the point easiest of solution."

"There is no danger of war breaking out until we can work this out," he said. "We can't do it in a moment or by wishful thinking."