Lewis Strauss

Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss (January 31, 1896 – January 21, 1974) was an American businessman, government department head, and US Naval officer.

Strauss was born January 31, 1896 in Charleston, West Virginia. He took on a leadership role in the wartime navy, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral, and later became a U.S. administrator. He was appointed chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission between 1953 and 1958. He was Acting Secretary of Commerce between 1958 and 1959; then-President Dwight Eisenhower nominated him for the permanent position, but his nomination was rejected by a 49-46 vote in the United States Senate.

Strauss is perhaps most remembered as the driving force in the hearings in which J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance was revoked. Strauss' failure to be confirmed as Secretary of Commerce was attributed to his role in the Oppenheimer matter, but numerous other controversies played a role.Fact|date=May 2008

In 1954, as chairman of the Atomic energy Commission, Strauss also predicted that electricity (generated from atomic energy) would become "too cheap to meter." [ [http://www.cns-snc.ca/media/toocheap/toocheap.html Too Cheap to Meter? ] ] He may have been referring to hydrogen fusion rather than uranium fission. [http://books.google.com/books?id=qBqbr8uV9c8C&pg=PA32&ots=X_NiY853vH&dq=strauss+son+cheap+meter&sig=NJRVHP66IqtX80mgp38UfttAIPc]

Strauss died in Brandy Station, Virginia.

References

External links

* [http://alsos.wlu.edu/qsearch.aspx?browse=people/Strauss,+Lewis Annotated bibliography for Lewis Strauss from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues]