THE ATOM: Fateful Decision

Thirteen years and 113 announced nuclear and thermonuclear blasts after the first fateful mushroom cloud at Alamogordo, N. Mex., the U.S. committed itself to a grave decision. President Dwight Eisenhower, appearing before TV and newsreel cameras in Washington, announced that the U.S. was ready to suspend its nuclear-weapons tests for one year effective Oct. 31. The President attached two major conditions. He required that 1) the U.S.S.R. agree to begin political talks by Oct. 31, aimed at setting up a world network of posts equipped to detect nuclear explosions, presumably in...