Lecture: Universe (1956)

If you cannot fix up a civilization so that it will dispose of its man-killing weapons, then the next step would be to fix up the civilization so that it would be defended against such things. But if you can’t do that and both of these things have failed, then the next best thing to do would be to fix up its population and the food supply so that it wasn’t too allergic to atomic radiation. And if you couldn’t do that, let’s at least cure some of the burns which have occurred. Well, we can do that; we’re on safe ground there. People who would probably die within twenty days, something like that, could probably be saved rather uniformly with some good auditing. We do have the only known cure for atomic fission.

Well, it may be the only cure but it’s not good enough; it’s not good enough. Too many people go up in smoke when these bombs hit. There aren’t enough auditors around to patch them all up right at once, so it’s not very good unless we got on an all-out program and squared it around. It’s almost easier to go out on a program which actually takes care of the bomb itself, which insists on international control in a sensible wise, and straightens out this mad tangle. Nevertheless, it’s a very good thing to have a cure.

All right, we are — a book* is in composition right at this moment, by the way, which informs the public as to the exact status of atomic radiation warfare and burns and situations-a factual book which is not any flight of fancy. It’s merely a fast rundown on what it is and what could be done for it-a practical book, not something by, you know, “It is said that there’s atomic radiation, and molecules and atoms and they all wiggle …” Something … What this book takes up is-for about three-quarters of its length-is simply the cause and prevention of radiation difficulties. And the last third of the book, or a little less, takes up how you solve the serious-or less serious burns with Scientology processes. This book is in composition at this time and probably will be written-completely written in a few months, since my part of it has to be written after the other part is finished. It’s a composite of practically all of the books on radiation that have been written, but more importantly it’s a composite of armed forces courses on the subject of the prevention of radiation. But that book will be out in a few months and we’ll at least have this little bit and piece in the bookstores for people to read, because there is nothing else for them there on the subject.

The US Government Civil Defense Programi says the first thing you have to know about civil defense: “That in the event of an attack by enemy atomic bombs, you’re on your own. There’s nobody going to help you.” That’s right.

That’s the first paragraph of their book-you think I’m joking. “Nobody is going to help you. You’re on your own.” In other words, the country is gone the moment an A-bomb goes boom. That is as far as I can figure out. That may not be their program but I have been given to understand that it is, by their own literature. They should write their literature a little bit better. Well, this book-this book will be of interest to you because it will attract attention to you.
*[Editor’s Note: The book discussed here was subsequently published in 1957 and is entitled All About Radiation.]¹

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ⁱ  US Government Civil Defense program: the plan or procedure of the United States Office of Civil Defense which is to be used to protect the citizens of the United States against enemy attack. At the time of this lecture, this included public education, training schools, stockpiling vital supplies and an attack warning system. The US Government Civil Defense program says the first thing you have to know about civil defense: “That in the event of an attack by enemy atomic bombs, you’re on your own.” – Universe (1 Sept. 56) ²³

Notes