/OFFICIALS in Washington were rather dumbfounded when former President Harry Truman announced shortly after leaving office that he did not believe the Soviet Union had a workable atomic bomb. Several members of Atomic Energy Com mission called the statement an unfortun ate one and other otiicials disagreed flatly with the ex-president, saying that there was indisputable evidence to the contrary. Former President Truman did not say the Russians had not produced atomic ex plosions. He said he did not believe they had a workable atomic bomb. This is still a somewhat surprising statement, in view of the fact that he, himself, announced to newsmen some years ago that an atomic explosion had been set off in Russia. Mr. Truman, when besieged by reporters for simplification on his statement said he stuck by that statement and refused to com

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