Word: teller
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Today, Dr. Teller is the bete noir of the younger generation of scientists. To them he is almost mythical-the mad scientist Dr. Strangelove who wants to build more and more "beautiful" weapons for the sheer, fantastic delight of controlling Dooms-day. Teller charged into the arena to meet these young critics during a day-long visit on December 27 to the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago. Many times in his past, such confrontations have won Teller only unpopularity-even ostracism. But this time, the old bull...
...Teller has worked at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, Calif, since 1952. He is known for his hawkish views on weapons development, including the ABM. And he is known for his ability to put down questioners, other scientists, youth, doves-in short, anyone he disagrees with-in a booming, angry voice and thick Hungarian accent undimmed by 25 years of U. S. residency...
...A.A.A.S., he departed from this posture many times. He was gentle, even humorous with his challengers. To an astonished group of scientists and press, he announced that during the war, Leo Szilard had urged him to circulate a petition against the bomb they were developing and that he, Teller, agreed with it. But Oppenheimer, director of the laboratory at Los Alamos, talked him out of it. So! Even the great weapons-champion had had doubts about the Bomb. Dr. Teller agreed to take with a small group of radicals late into the night, where he repeated a call for mutual...
...young radicals who planned to make fun of Teller at the meeting were a national coalition called Scientists and Engineers for Social and Political Action (S. E. S. P. A.), which claims eleven chapters and 2000 "members." In Teller, who is far from popular among his own generation, they thought they had a sure target. They decided to award him their "Second Annual Dr. Strangelove Award" at a panel titled (ironically) "Is There a Generation Gap in Science?" Word of the impending action spread well in advance, and by early afternoon the Upper Summit Room...
...afternoon's incongruities began with Teller's entrance into the room full of chatting, genial conventioneers-flanked by six bodyguards, apparently in response to threats of violence against him. But what followed was anything but violent. When he rose to speak, two S. E. S. P. A. men simply mounted the far end of the stage and stood silently, holding up the first of a series of placards introducing "The War Criminal: A Short Play by Edward Teller...