CHARLES J. CONRAD

ASSEMBLY

Room 3146 Phone (916) 445- 4383
State Capitol Sacramento, 95814 CW)

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Janet Hothersall
MARCH 24, 1970 (916) 445-4383

Assemblyman Charles J. Conrad, Speaker pro Tempore of the Califor-
nia Assembly, today charged that "scientists with strong political
motives are twisting scientific facts to achieve ends detrimental to
the nation".

Conrad directed his remarks to those scientists who have been
critical of the defoliation program in Vietnam. Specifically named
were Dr. Joshua Lederberg of the Stanford University School of Medicine,
Dr. Matthew Meselson of Harvard University, and Dr. Victor W. Sidel of
the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Conrad, recognized as an expert in the use of chemicals in military
operations, claimed those scientists had made specious inference that
the chemical 2,4,5,-T produces deformities in animals and humans.

"It is true that initial experiments conducted at the Bionetics
Research Laboratory outside Washington, D.C., where an impure form of
2,4,5,-T was utilized, produced some birth defects in rats. However,
subsequent tests conducted in other laboratories using commercial
2,4,5,-T, but with the toxic substance virtually eliminated, showed
no evidence of defects in either rats or rabbits.

"Tt is inconceivable to me," said Conrad, "that these scientists

did not know the facts concerning these tests, since the companies
producing 2,4,5,-T went to considerable lengths rebuilding plants ©
after the toxic impurity was discovered."

Conrad pointed out that Dr. Lederberg had written a number of
columns criticizing the Army chemical and biological warfare acti-
vities, that Dr. Meselson had circulated a petition signed by 5,000
United States' scientists urging President Johnson to end the de-
foliation program in Vietnam, and Dr. Sidel was a member of the left
wing Physicians for Social Responsibility. "To put it mildly, these
gentlemen are prejudiced", said Conrad.

"Another scare story claimed that both humans and animals had
been injured near Globe, Arizona, following the use of 2,4,5,-T by
the United States Forest Service. Walter Cronkite reported on national
television that an unusually large number of women in the area recently
have reported severe damage to reproductive organs. Congressman
Richard McCarthy of New York, long a critic of the defoliation pro-
gram, rushed to the scene in Arizona to be photographed with a de-
formed goat. There is no scientific substantiatian of these stories.

"The American people must realize that elimination of the de-
foliation program in Vietnam will cost American lives", said Conrad.
"But this is only part of the story. The next target will be the
Safeguard antiballistic missile system. Already politically oriented
scientists are claiming the ABM radars emit such powerful radiation
as to endanger the health of missile launching crews.

"The time has come for other scientists, scientists who believe
that the best way to insure peace is to keep our country strong, to
expose the propaganda coming from their politically oriented Colleagues -
and explain to the public the inaccuracies, and even falsehoods, now

being disseminated through the news media."

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