b'P ROVING THE P RINCIPLEAtom to showcase ideas and guestspeakers. Rutledge even arranged foreminent scientist Dr. Willard F. Libby toaccept a title as science advisor toGovernor Samuelson, further embroider-ing Idahos image as a science-friendlyst ae2 7t .Rutledge specialized in the sponsorshipof multiple high-profile activities. Hediscovered that the AEC had a portablecesium food irradiator on tour in thePacific Northwest. Soon, news releasespoured out of the Governors office, theTwin Falls County Republican CentralCommittee, and INEC. Robert Erkins,the owner and manager of the SnakeRiver Trout Farm near Buhl, Idaho, waspersuaded to host the irradiator at his1967 INEC Annual Report trout farm for one week in April 1968.Gene Rutledge, second from left, poses with given new missions. Idaho must never The public was warmly invited. TheGovernor Don Samuelson, third from left, and the allow the AEC to abandon it. 26 Twin Falls newspaper, the Times-News,members of the INEC Commission gave front page coverage to the storyRutledge hit the deck running and never for two days and also published photos.stopped. He had the governor proclaim Governor Samuelson, Lt. Gov. Jackbe a salesman, he said as he began with the 25th anniversary of the first Chicago Murphy, and Secretary of State PeteINEC. He had his chance and he pile. Exhibits entitled This At omic Cenarussa all left Boise to have a lookgrabbed it with both hands. 2 5 World began appearing at state fairs at the irradiatorand be photographedacross the state, often promoted by the while doing so. 28Hired on August 1, he was ready with a current Miss Idaho. As o phi s tic a t e d 21-point program six days later. The exhibit called the Nuclear Energ y The legislature continued to supportfirst thing was to survey Idaho and Museum appeared for a week at the INECs recommendations. Idahoidentify the ways that atomic energy Idaho Falls High School in August 1969. became an agreement state, takingand radiation could enhance existing Rutledge arranged a symposium in the over from the AEC the task of issuingindustries: agriculture, timber and town of Salmon, Idaho, to discuss the licenses for the use of medical andforestry, mining. Idaho should ally with future of the thorium market, thorium industrial radioactive materials. Theother western states in promoting being a potential breeder-related fuel work cost the state money and gave itnuclear industries in the Pacific found in Idaho. Anuclear exhibit no advantage other than giving the restNorthwest. Beyond that there was a appeared in the Idaho Statehouse, taking of the world the impression that Idahowhole frontier of industrial possibility: its place next to the familiar exhibits cel- welcomed nuclear industry. The day ofirradiation might give cotton fabric ebrating Idaho mining and farming. the signing ceremony, August 14, 1968,qualities of permanent press, irradiation Boise Cascade conducted seminars on was well publicized, and two AECcould improve vulcanized rubber. the potential of irradiation in the timber commissioners flew in for the event. 29Public education was important. Above i ndu ty. INEC sponsored a televisions rall, the NRTS must be preserved and show each week entitled Idaho and the1 9 0'