WAGE PAYMENTS AT NEVADA TEST SITE HEARING BEFORE THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON WAGE PAYMENTS AT NEVADA TEST SITE JANUARY 30, 1952 Printed for the use of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY BRIEN MCMAHON, Connecticut, Chairman RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Georgia CHET HOLIFIELD, California JAMES E. VAN ZANDT, Pennsylvania WILLIAM L. BORDEN, Executive Director II Statement of Gordon E. Dean, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission... Statement of Senator McMahon, Chairman of the Joint Committee A directive from the chairman_ Government equipment at Paducah Alleged land speculation at Paducah. A labor complaint about Paducah.. Misconduct at Savannah River... A Savannah River contract problem. An official statement on Savannah River The authority of the AEC field manager. Charges of waste at Oak Ridge. Two Oak Ridge personnel problems- A Hanford purchasing problem.... A Los Alamos community problem – ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 97 WAGE PAYMENTS AT NEVADA TEST SITE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1952 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, The Joint Committee met at 2: 10 p. m., pursuant to call, in room 324, Senate Office Building, Senator Brien McMahon (chairman), presiding. Present also: William L. Borden, executive director, Joint Com(vice chairman), Senators Anderson, Hickenlooper, Millikin, Knowland, and Bricker, Representatives Price, Cole, and Elston. Present also: William L. Borden, executive director, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen, the meeting will come to order. Yesterday the press carried a story, out of Los Angeles, that arose out of a hearing there, to the effect that a plumber had received $756 for 1 week's work at the Nevada test site; and other indications occurred in the story, or rather other information, which indicated that this was not a single instance, but that it had occurred numerous times. Now, it is essential that in this program there be public confidence, and anything that occurs to disturb that confidence must be immediately investigated and the public informed as fully as we can inform them of what the facts are. After consulting with some of the members of the committee, it was decided to immediately call this hearing, make it an open hearing, and get the facts. So, Mr. Dean and members of the Commission are here today for the purpose of telling us what the facts are on any question that arises. Is this prevalent through the whole program, or is it not? STATEMENT OF GORDON E. DEAN, CHAIRMAN, ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION; ACCOMPANIED BY CARROLL L. TYLER, MANAGER, SANTA FE OPERATIONS OFFICE; MARION W. BOYER, GENERAL MANAGER, AEC; E. J. BLOCH, DIRECTOR, CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPLY DIVISION, AEC; AND REUBEN E. COLE, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, SANTA FE Commissioner DEAN. No; this is a very unusual situation. The CHAIRMAN. You go right ahead, Mr. Dean. We will develop it as we go along. Commissioner DEAN. If I may say at the outset, while the news of this excessive wage paid to this plumbing superintendent did not come to my own personal attention until yesterday afternoon, we have 1 |