The hydrogen bomb, which started a wave of excitement not so long ago, is getting an official play-down. At last week's press conference the Atomic Energy Commission confirmed tacitly the disparaging remarks about the H-bomb by former AECommissioner Robert Bacher (TIME, May 15). Bacher had pointed out that hydrogen bombs could not be made without consuming neutrons (from U-235) which might be used more profitably for making plutonium. When questioned about Bacher, Commissioner Henry DeWolf Smyth remarked significantly: "He is a fairly competent man in this field." This is as close as AEC ever comes to giving a straight opinion on...
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