No atomic Power Without the Chemical Industry

IF the chemical and chemical process industries do not go into the field of private atomic power, development of this source of energy will be seriously delayed. Some might say on hearing this statement that our convictions as to the importance of the chemical industry have carried us to extremes. These views, however, are expressed with full cognizance of the vital role played by scientists and engineers of all types in bringing atomic energy to its present status. C&EN is equally well aware of the substantial contributions of the chemical industry. Most major problems now involved in putting the atom to work on a large-scale peacetime basis, however, are largely of a chemical and chemical engineering nature. While it is true that nonchemical industries, which are active in the atomic field, are adding chemists and chemical engineers to their staffs, the large numbers of trained chemists and chemical engineers who will be needed in an ...