een a SCIENTISTS WARN THE PEOPLE The menace of Strontium 90— 13 bombs is point of no return HE explosion of 13. more “normal” hydrogen - bombs by the nations possessing atom- ic power may contaminate the world’s atmosphere to such a degree that countless mil- lions will. be poisoned, by Strontium-90, one of the com- monest elements in the fire- balls that rise when the wea- pon bursts. Strontium-90 can cause bone eancer, particularly in child- ren, who are far more suscep- tib’e to the disease than adults. These alarming facts are made.public in the October issue of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists in an article by Dr. Ralph Lapp, atomic physic- ist, a registered Republican who has endorsed Adlai Stev- enson’s proposals to ban fur- ther tests of nuclear weap- ons. Among Dr. Lapp’s chilling assertions is this: “Fragments of .bomb de- bris from the Pacific tests are now turning up in the bones of people all over the world.” He says flatly that the globe is forty times nearer the stage where the entire atmosphere ean be poisoned than the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission admitted in its recent report to Congress. Bes nm be It appears that the baneful el- ement Strontium-90 is thrown by the explosion into the By PETER FRYER stratosphere as high as 100,- 000 feet. Since it is initially a gas it is borne around the world for between five and ten years and falls out at the rate of 10-20 percent each year. It descends to the earth's surface in snow and rain, falls on the grass of meadows and farms, is eaten by cows who pass the poisonous elements along to people in their milk. It is- finally deposited, in hu- man bones. ; Dr. Lapp has made use of available British data which enables science ~to determine the Maximum Concentration of strontium- 90 before humanity is men- aced by’ widespread cancer of the bone. The explosion of enough bombs to register 260 mega- tons brings mankind to the brink. A megaton has the pow- er of a million tons of TNT. According to the report, the U.S. and Soviet governments have already set off some 40 megatons, which is about 15 percent of the maximum for “safety.” The British begin tests next spring. The testing rate is now ris- ing. It is said that U.S. Air Force officials consider 20 megatons as a “normal bomb” and explosions reaching 50 megatons are now under con- sideration. Permissable ° Simple arithmetic produces the conclusion that only 13 of the “normal bombs” or five of the biggest bring humanity to the point of no return. Dr. Lapp figures that the U.S. government would step up the maximum safety muni- mum fifty-fold higher in war than in peace. The above fig- ures for the maximum safety point are estimated for peace- time. Thus, Dr. Lapp concludes, it is certain that millions of men, women and_ children who are not in the armed forces would be condemned to bone cancer in wartime. “These facts cannot be un- known to the AEC (U.S. At- omic’ Energy Commission),” the New Republic observed recently. The liberal magazine pointed out that the AEC is geared to the continuation of atomic tests and that Dr. Gor- don Dunning, the health phys- icist in AEC headquarters told Congress recently: “Since continuation of our nuclear testing program is mandatory to the defense’ of the country, the problem then becomes one of defining these risks and evaluating them in the light of what is best for the peoples of the free world.” In other words, the members of the AEC will determine the fate of humanity. When Hungary was under rule of Horthy’'s fascist Double Cross T IS a matter of historical fact that the first fascist regime in Europe was set up in “Hungary, after the Hun- garian Soviet Republic of 1919 was crushed by White terror. Until Hitler came to power in Germany the fascist regime presided over by ‘Admiral Nicholas Horthy de Nagyban- ya was the worst dictatorship in Europe. Real rulers of the country were a secret society of 35 members called the ‘Double Cross’—a reference to the Holy Apostdlie Cross of Hun- gary. Horthy was a member. Under their rule 40 rich families virtually owned two- thirds of Hungary. A third of the total arable land was in the hands of 980 big land- owners — and 1,130,000 peas- ants were landless out of a total population of nine mil- lion. Trade unions were brutaily repressed. Thousands of Jews and Communists were tortured and murdered. Horthy antici- pated the Nuremberg anti- Jewish laws by 15 years. Horthy himself, whose offi- cial title was regent, was the former commander-in-chief of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Hence the title “Admiral.” His merciless suppression of a naval mutiny made his name hated. For years he was aide- de-campe to the Emperor Fran- cis Joseph. His cruelty was notorious. When members of a British Labor delegation investigating the. atrocities complained to Horthy -that officers respon- sible for the White terror were not punished, he replied in- dignantly: “Why, they are my best men!” xt Xt it Under Horthy, the Hungar- ian people were fed on a daily diet of racial hatred — and above all, hatred of the Soviet Union—for 20 solid years. Then Horthy — sent Hungarian soldiers to their deaths on the eastern front in Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union. When Hungary was liberat- ed: by the Soviet Army in thousands of \ 1944-45, the leading fascists, the biggest landowners and the capitalists who had com- promised themselves by col- laborating with the Nazis, fled to the West. Since then they have not lost a day in seeking to un- ° dermine People’s Democracy and seize back the power anl the wealth they have lost. Among the generations that grew up under’ Horthyism there are stil? some who are ready to listen to these forces who want to return 4o the past—their past. Prizewinning letters Each week the Paci- fic Tribune will present a book to the writer of the most interesting, en- tertaining and _ topical letter published on this page. Contributors are urged to keep their let- ters to a _ reasonable length. Last week’s winner was B. Wheeldon of Squamish, B.C. ‘OPEN FORUM The DEW Line P. NUT, Whonock, B.C.: For your amusement I submit a verse titled The DEW Line: Across the rocky wind-swept barrens Of our pre-Cambrian Shield, The Pentagon erects its warn- ing sirens For an advanced battlefield. The cold war’s - enigmatic scheme, Brewed with Churchillian unc- tion, Fulfilling plutocracy’s dream To help the profit system func- tion. Is all wrapped up in the con- test ‘Twixt two warring ideologies; And Uncle Psalm will do his best, Without too profuse apolo- gies. Of course, he didn’t overlook The mere formality Of asking Ottawa to book Its full legality. The zone is hard to camou- flage; Visitors’. visas are desired. Even for our top man, Jean Lesage, U.S. clearance is required. Our- sovereignty seems hidden away; Some day we may unearth it. Meanwhile, some worried Can- ucks say, “Is the blasted cold war worth 5H Se NOVEMBER 2, 1956 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE — He likes his Tatra aby READER, North ee B.C.: I noticed the PY cat the new Tatra motor pout! the Pacific Tribune ° dv. antae the greatest disa ec! g ee the Tatra cars W in this country model) is the poor te 5 Speaking from erat ‘ I can say I have h@@ 4 gave more than five years ie w no intention of Pat’ vist it. I find that the Ty of the Tatra is not # tage but in many 7 an advantage over of later years. us The cars we até to anyone if you © close to your re@ You see a lot of t and that is all. Bing the small, rear WINE, Tatra, while you as far or as widely» ur see almost behin xactly bumper. That 35 Fee place you want ~~ you back the cat: at e : a The greatest disadvi) the Tatra car fe import license ae and it left owner” det parts when they 2 my (Personally, I BO actly” directly from the pf However, terested, ethin’ © opening up som n Mo trading centre id ask where they cou about the subjec~ dress is Omni TT Pine Avenue 25, P.Q.