Abstract
Blast from the past
I became curious when I saw the July/August issue of the Bulletin at my local library. When I opened it, the familiar names listed as sponsors captured my attention. Then I read James A. Schoke's letter regarding his “encounter with J. Robert Oppenheimer.” Thus, in four pages, I was able to recapture my experience working in Edward Teller's office.
In 1950, I was hired by Frederic de Hoffman to work at Los Alamos as a technical stenographer in Building E, Weapon Development. From the time an official car took me through the guarded gates into the city of secrecy, my life was thrilling. I feel inspired now as I think of the brilliant scientists whose lives I was privileged to touch. I remember them all as kind, considerate, and jovial.
My association with Los Alamos rewarded me with the ability to dream, envision, and create. My only regret in picking up the Bulletin is that I lack kindred spirits who share my Los Alamos experience. I was sad to hear of Teller's death. Is Jane Amenta–the head secretary in Teller's office when I was there–alive?
“It needs more science and less fiction.”
I would like to correspond with anyone at Los Alamos during that time period. With the Bulletin I have gone back to this time and place, and I desire to go back further.
Wheatridge, Colorado
Vote for nonproliferation
It is unlikely that the disintegrating situation regarding nuclear weapons proliferation will be addressed in any depth during the presidential campaign. It is not suited to sound bites or bumper stickers. However, with Iran and North Korea challenging the international community and International Atomic Energy Agency, it should be an important factor in choosing who leads us the next four years.
The actions of the Bush administration have significantly aggravated an already serious situation. George W. Bush has signaled to the world that he considers nuclear weapons useful and that he wants to develop new ones. He has also not ruled out using nuclear weapons against a nuclear “have-not.” This has become an incentive for have-nots to become nuclear contenders. At the same time, our leadership threatens sanctions against states that might be on a path to full nuclear weapon capability.
There are some steps that could abate the threat of new players, specifically Iran and North Korea. Brent Scowcroft proposed in the June 24 Washington Post that Iran be assured a continuing supply of low-enriched uranium for reactor fuel to make it unnecessary to achieve uranium enrichment capability, which could then be used to make the highly enriched uranium usable for nuclear bombs.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is due for review in 2005, and a fit subject for review would be to clarify the text so that everyone will understand that the NPT prohibits attacking have-not signers with nuclear weapons. We could propose that the Korean peninsula be a nuclear-weapon-free zone. That would require North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapon facilities and the United States to assure that it would never attack or threaten North Korea with nuclear weapons.
Given Bush's actions, we cannot expect him to favor these ideas, which might be the key to real progress in defusing the proliferation situation. Sen. John Kerry, on the other hand, appears to be far more likely to accept these or similar offers.
Keep this in mind when voting in November.
Aiken, South Carolina
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