Year
1961
Abstract
Each of us sometimes becomes so engrossed in our own work that we tend to overemphasize its importance. Perhaps we even drag our feet a little so that we don't do the job we are really capable of doing. Then we hear a speech such as Mr. Thornton gave last night and realize that an individual's contribution to this tremendous complex is small compared to the overall picture. We should each do our own job as expeditiously as possible and then help those alongside who, because of our work have now acquired problems which are new to them. I was accused yesterday of trying to create the impression that I never shipped over 100 grams U-235 at a time, and that all my shipments are completely safe from everyone's point of view. This is not always the case. Neither, this morning, do I intend to reopen the interesting subject of shipping radioactive or fissile material, but would like to make the following comment. Because of our laxity as individuals and as a new industry, we have failed to promulgate regulations which will spell out how, when, and where to our neighbors and have instead permitted them to gain their knowledge from the bizarre newspaper accounts of the dangers of radioactivity. Our own reluctance to give out factual information, which might jeopardize our jobs has now caused others to protect themselves out of fear and lack of interpreted true information.