Page Four
How Fantastic Are Our
Fantastic Weapons?
By Darrel Peeler
ED. NOTE: This article is a
summary of the published data
on our experimental weapons,
taken from various sources.
The conclusions drawn are nec
essarily those of the author,
and are based on the known
physical possibilities and limi
tations of the weapons in
volved. No consideration is
given to such possibilities as an
alliance with the men from
Mars or the direct intervention
of God. The author concedes
the possiblity, but considers
either occurrence outside the
realm of mathematical proba
bility.
The term "fantastic" is primarily
a politician's word, and, like many
words used by politicians, it has
little real meaning.
Few scientist* would call our new
developments in military arms
"fantastic," Most would use the
word "new" or, possibly, "unortho
dox." Or, is the effects of the new
weapon were far reaching enough,
they might be called "revolution
ary."
What, then, are our new weapons
that some call "fantastic"?
Actually, we have no really new
weapons, but rather improved ver
sions of older weapons, refined to
the point where we can use them
under new conditions.
Outstanding among these is one
which can truly be called "revolu
tionary"—the tactical, or battle
field, A-bomb. Now A-bombs come
in three sizes—small, medium, and
Lord-I'm-Coming-Home. The tacti
cal bomb is suitable for use at close
quarters; as atomic artillery or
small bombs exploded over the
heads of infantry.
The medium bomb is useful
against marshalling yards, bridges,
amphibious crossing, or any massed
concentration of men or materiel.
The large, or strategic, bomb is
used against cities. We have seen
it used in the past.
The greatest danger of this talk
about "fantastic" weapons is this—
we are apt to get too cocky for our
own good. That kind of pride goeth
before a mighty fall.
When and if we go to war, we
are going to get hurt, and hurt bad.
This time the ruined cities won't
be in the newsreels—we'll be under
them.
THE HAVES
Let's see what we really have got
—and haven't got. We have:
1. The standard, strategic A
bomb, with planes capable of de
livering it. (See how quickly a
"fantastic" bomb becomes "stand
ard"?)
2. The tactical, baby, or battle
field A-bomb. Its searing air-blast
leaves no lingering radiation, but it
has had •no combat test. (Do we
hesitate out of fear of Russia's in
tervention?)
Gilioli and Micallef
Discuss Italy
The International Relations Club
has had two meetings this semes
ter. During the first meeting, of
ficers were elected. In addition,
plans were made for an active pro
gram. There was an encouraging
turnout of students, including sev
eral freshmen.
At the second meeting, conditions
in Italy were discussed. The dis
cussion was enlivened by the pres
ence of Enrico Gilioli and Rita
Micallef, who recently came from
Italy. The next meeting will be
devoted to the discussion of the
Korean situation by Dr. John Wil
son, who was reared and educated
there.
"Let your head run my business" !
DICK'S BARBER SHOP
Over the Drugstore Talbert Building |
RATES SAME AS BEFORE J
——
GUILFORD GASH STORE
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3. A workable form of atomic ar
tillery?
4. Guided missiles (the Matador,
a pilotless bomber, and the Cor
poral E, a German-type rocket)
capable of carrying, accurately, an
atomic warhead several hundreds
of miles at speeds ranging up to
3,000 miles per hour. However, only
one squadron has been activated to
handle the former, and both art
crude experimental models.
5. A wide variety of potential de
fensive weapons like radar, sonar,
(underwater radar) and ground-to
air missiles, but in nothing like the
necessary quantities to stop an at
tack.
6. A great deal of experimental
data on both defensive and offen
sive biological (germ) warfare.
7. An enormous industrial po
tential for atomic and conventional
arms. Our expanding atomic plants,
for instance, ar conservatively esti
mated to be turning out about 3,000
pounds of bomb material a year.
At fifteen pounds of fissionable
material for a standard bomb, and
ten or less (since the solution of the
critical mass, or minimum size,
problem) for the smaller bombs,
we can produce with existing fa
cilities, 200 to 300 bombs a year.
Properly delivered, they could do a
lot of damage.
Question: What is the other fel
low doing all this time?
THE HAVE-NOTS
We do not have:
1. The Hydrogen Bomb.
2. A transoceanic guided missile
capable of carrying an atomic war
head. Even if we had a rocket ca
pable of the distance, we have no
guidance system capable of hitting,
say, a target as big as the state of
North Carolina. We aren't ready
for a pushbutton war. We don't
even have the button.
3. Atomic aircraft, nor will we
have any for a decade or more.
4. An atomic submarine, though
an experimental model is now
under construction.
5. A warning system or defensive
air force big enough to stop a de
termined mosquito.
6. Any effective provision for the
few survivors of an atomic attack.
7. Any effective means of radio
logical warfare, for the battlefield
or otherwise. The wind disperses
"death sand" quickly, and explo
sives clear an easy path through it.
8. An army trained to operate
on the highly mobile, self-sustained
basis that will be necessary once
the tactical bomb comes into wide
use. When that happens, an am
phibious landing, a river crossing,
a movement through a mountain
pass, would bring sudden and utter
disaster.
Tomorrow's soldiers will have to
be as highly trained, as self-suf
ficient, as Rangers, transported and
supplied by air, and moving with
tremendous speed to hit, destroy,
and run. We have begun the veri
est beginnings of that training in
Nevada, where a few of our soldiers
are training to operate near atomic
blasts.
What Has the Other Fellow Got?
Well, we know he has an atomic
bomb, and the facilities for pro
ducing more. He has a six-year
start in guided missiles, and has
done a lot of research in germ war
fare. We might all be drinking con
taminated water tomorrow.
But, most important of all, is this.
We have no basis for believing that
the enemy lacks engineering skill
equal to ours, or that he cannot in
time match our productive capacity
Nor have we any reason to look
down on him as a strategist or as
a soldier. Brains and intestinal for
titude are not an American mon
opoly.
Furthermore, the enemy believes
in what he is doing. Do we?
THE GUILFORDIAN
"Hello—Fox four? I jest called fer a
couple little ol* rounds of artillery.
I didn't ask fer no catastrophes" BILL MAULDIH
—reprinted from Collier's magazine with permission of the publishers
and Bill Mauldin.
Honor Board Composed
Of Five Students
The Honor Board is a student or
ganization which exists for the pur
pose of enforcing the regulations
of the honor system of Guilford
College as they apply to academic
work.
It is composed of five students
chosen by the joint Men's and Wo
men's Governments from the jun
ior and senior classes. Ideally, two
juniors will be chosen one year and
three the next to serve a two-year
term so that the board will always
have at least two experienced mem
bers carrying on from one year
to the next. The sixth member is
a faculty adviser, who has no vote
unless requested and acts in a
purely advisory capacity.
The board is concerned with
cases involving cheating on exam
inations, homework, or papers.
These cases may be reported either
by a faculty member who sees evi
dence of cheating, or by a student
who witnesses or hears of the act.
In the case of reports by students,
they are turned in by reporting
directly to an Honor Board mem
ber or to the faculty member con
cerned, or by dropping a note in
the cut-slip box which hangs on
the stair rail in King Hall. In
either case, it is important that
the student reporting the violation
make his name known to the board,
because the writer of a note rarely
includes in it all the details neces
sary to judge the case adequately.
He is assured that his identity will
be known to no one but the mem
bers of the Honor Board.
Of all the thankless jobs on the
Guilford campus, Honor Board
membership is probably the most
thankless, at least from the point
of view of glory. No glory can be
gained from the work, and only
the satisfaction that comes from
feeling that something is being done
to aid the cause of integrity com
pensates for the effort involved.
The honor system is an integral
part of Guilford life. Upon it de-
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A nnualSadie Hawkins
Square Dance Planned
The annual Sadie Hawkins
Day square dance will be staged
this year on Saturday night,
November 17, sponsored by the
SCA.
The committee has engaged
the band of Jake Welker of
Greensboro, and Jake, himself,
will do the calling.
Stag or Drag, the tariff Is
$.75. Refreshments and first
aid will be available to those
who knock themselves out.
pends the feeling of trust which
exists between faculty and stu
dents, which ih turri is what gives
us the freedom from supervision
that we enjoy during our exams.
The honor system can work only
if the students want it to and
are willing to do their part in sup
porting it. A student's part in
supporting it does not consist of
saying, "Three cheers for the honor
system"; it consists of turning vio
lators in to the Honor Board. There
is no getting around this fact. Any
student who believes in the system
must be willing to do this one fun
damental thing. Honor must be
placed before every other consid
eration. Only then can our honor
system work.
—H. S.
• >
McDADE'S, Inc.
100 N. Elm St.
Come see our
stock of excellent
MEN'S WEAR
November 9, 1951
'Quaker' Sponsors
Photo Contest
The Quaker is sponsoring a pho
tograph contest. The three divis
ions of this contest are as follows:
(1) campus life, (2) dormitory
life, and (3) faculty. The winner
in each of these divisions will re
ceive a five-dollar cash prize. This
contest will be closed November
16. Get out your camera and get
busy. The harder you work, the
better the feature page will be. All
pictures should be turned in to
Joyce and Glenna Fulk by Novem
ber 16.
Pictures of students have been
taken and also advertisements are
being sold. We are moving right
along and any suggestions you have
will be welcomed.
Modern Dance Club
Begins Year's Work
The Modern Dance Club of the
W. A. A. has begun operations
this year, and for its first three
meetings has had an average at
tendance of fifteen.
Because of the various other
campus organizations and their
meetings, the club has been divid
ed into two sections to avoid con
flicts. The first section meets at
4:00 p.m. and the second section
meets at 5:00 p.m. Every Thurs
day is the regular meeting time at
the gymnasium.
Miss Van Dyke,'senior dance stu
dent at Woman's College, is the in
structor, and she has been stress
ing technique for the first few
lessons.
The W. A. A. gives points for
every meeting attended and for
participation in May Day, as the
Modern Dance Club is directing
its activities toward May Day.
All girls are urged to attend the
meetings and those interested
should contact Jo Cameron, Mod
ern Dance Chairman.
Your
Super
Snooper
by ANN EVANS
Have you treated yourself
to a tour of inspection of the
New Ellis-Stone, located on the
corner of South Elm and South
Davie? If not, then come in
soon.
You will really be amazed
at the huge selection that is
offered. You will find every
thing that the well dressed col
lege student needs. Be sure to
notice the new matching hats
and blouses. The beanie type
hats and long sleeved tailored
blouses are made of the same
plaid cotton material.
Now is the time to replen
ish your supply of sweaters.
You will find a complete as
sortment of sweaters, includ
ing those marvelous Vicara
sweaters for the fellows.
The New Ellis-Stone also has
the new colored rhinestone
jewelry, which does wonders
in adding just the right bit of
color to a sweater or suit.
If you want to be the envy
of all the other girls in the
dorm, don't overlook the cozy
flannel pajamas and bathrobes,
which you will find on the Fash
ion Floor. You girls that knit
will be interested in the yarn
department where you can get
nylon Argyle Sock Packs for
$1.95. }
?$ P?,
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