Friday. November |0l

|96l

SCARLET AND BLACK

 

Page Three

Debate Senate Decis'en 0n Atmospheric Tests

To the Editor:

1 tear that the reckless resolution on atmospheric testing pass—
ed by our Student Senate will display loi- public view an example

0! rash and emotional (lectston.

This Student Senate has milder

quatc knowledge of both the ialleut facts and the deiense con. el-

el‘alions which must be included
ing.

in any decision on nuclear tes

The said resolution will reflect little Credit on the students of
this college who as persons of intellect and education should know
better than to condemn out oi ignorance and fear,

The resolution implies that regardless of what strategic gains
the Soviet Union has derived irom its recent series at tests. these
gains do not necessitate a resumption oi atmospheric testing by
the United States 1 can only ask on what grounds the Senators
base this implication, toi- even our nuclear experts have not yet
had enough time to evaluate what progress the Soviet Union made

in these tests.

Should ottr nuclear scientists decide that Russian gains

in

these tests endanger the effectiveness of our deterrent nuclear
force, and our pl‘eSldent Consequently deCldes that we can no
longer avoid atmospheric tests without endangering;r national se-
curity, I feel that we should be moved by this consideration of
our national defenskover considerations of world opinion and
over fears of possible danger from radioactive fallout.

“Fear," President John F. Kennedy has stat‘

d. “is the oldest

weapon in history. Throughout the liie of mankind it has been
the resort of those who could not hope to prevail by reason and
persuasion. it will be repelled today as it has been repelled in
the past—not only by the steadiastncss oi irce men, but by the
power oi arms which men will use to deicnd freedom."

The resolution states that an aversion to forces which threaten

human survrval

has traditionally characte 'ch Grlnnell.

I can

only hope that an aversion to forces which threaten American
security shall also traditionally characterize Grmnell.

To The Editor:

The iollowing quote from a
pamphlet by Harrison Brown
and James Real, published in
1060 and entitled “Community
of Fear,” bears relevance to ac-
tion that Grinnell is now pre—
paring to take. It might be well
to consider our actions with re-
garol to the tone of this passage.

“The Soviet Union has appai»
ently, in the last iew years, in-
stituted a civilan defense pro—
gram oi substantial magnitude.
It is probable that within the
next two or three years the
United States will embark on a
crash shelter program for a
large proportion of its citizens
and some oi its industry, Once
the shelter program is undei»
way, it will consitute a signifi-
cant retreat irom the idea of
the obsolescence of war.

Once the people are convinc—
cd that they can survive the
present state of the art of
killing. a broad and niticant
new habit pattern wrll have
been introduced and accept»
ed, one grotesquely ditierent

To the Editor:

In response to the question
“How can we iustiiy atmospher-
ic tests in view or the fact that
we have many times over
enough megatons to obliterate
Russi. .

Russia's testing of nuclear
weapons in the high yield range
was declared irresponsible be
cause there is no strategic need
to test bombs oi this yield as
a much lower level yield will
cliectively destroy strategic tar—
gets; secondly, it was irrespon-
sible in that the maximum ra-
dius oi the tireball extended be-
low ground level needlessly. (A
surlace blast is inherently dirty;
an air blast is dirty tothc e.
tent of the fission trigger and
vaporized bomb case)

Russia's largest fusion bomb
was obviously (and irresponsib-
ly, i agree) detonated as a show
oi iorce, with the extremely
high iallout level utilized to
make this show of’force even
more iear ispiring No one can
say whether the other lower
yield detonations were uselc
except Russian scientists who in—
tcl‘ln’el the results. We must as
suine that 1, they achieved val-
uable data from these bursts,
and 2, they have obviously
achieved a tear reaction in the
world (or at least on this came

pus).

These assumptions are based
on 1, the tact that any data
from a bomb adds to the store
of Moran-tion on these wea-
pons, especially upon utiliza—

Pitul Reichs

irom any we have known tor
thousands oi years — that oi
adiu ing ourselves to the idea
or living in holes. From that
time onward it will be simple
to adjust ourselves to living
in deeper holes.

Tens oi thousands of years
ago our Mousterian and Aurlgz
nacian ancestors lived in caves,
The vast knowledge which we
have accumulated during the inc
tervcning millennia will have
brought us full cycle. The epic
oi man’s journey upward into
the light will have ended.

We feel that the present world
tension can only he eased if we
attack the problem as would a
medical scientist, who realizes
that the only lasting cure tor
an illness must develop from
prevention.

Today's “cure" for the world’s
illnesses seems to be via bomb-
shelters. This attitude has no
relation to the prevention o1
war, so is it a lasting cure?

John Fisk
Ken Coleman

tion oi new techniques and ex.
periinentnl devices in the
weapons themselves, since no
one knows everything about
these weapons and 2, personal
observations oi mine oi cam.
pus members.

In these two isolated ways, at
least, Russia's testing was ir-
responsible. An American rec
sumption of atmospheric testing
would be Just as irresponsible
If it tollowed the some lines oi
excessive yield ground inter—
section blast -adius (dirty) dce
tonations designed to implement
iearanspiring propaganda.

But the resumption oi work
toward an inherently cleaner
neutroneclnitting weapon, iusion
weapons with clean triggers and
an eliectivc anti—missile weapons
system tor a decent lnissileeate
tack defense is a morally nec—
essary reaction in order to save
as many American lives as p057
sible in case of attack and to
save as much oi the Soviet cive
ilian population as possible
through use ot improved cleans
er_ strategic nuclear weapons.
The latter is our moral obligaz
tion today to any population we
may be iorced to deiend against.

Do we stop atmospheric nir
clear testing, thereby allowing
our military posture to slump
to the degree that the Soviet
Union could be in a dangerous.
ly superior position7 Or do we
maintain our American security
through steadily improving dee
terrent forces until logical re-
sults effecting a sane disarma»

ment can be achieved?
Jim Johnson

To the Etlitn .

“These ci-e the times which
try men‘s souls.”

The resumption or nuclear
tests by Russia and the present
possibility oi the same by the
US has not resulted in Wider
spread demonstrations and riots
cross the country, American
~c till/,ed society" generally
trouns upon outbreaks of emo—
lthn or extreme dedication to
ideals,

instead, we are cautioned on
all sides to control our tempc s.
repress nonconiormist opinions,
and avoid behavior which indi-
cates clearly our position on any
crucial subject. Yet, America is
reacting powei-iully to the pos—
sibility of nuclear testing and
war.

Grinncll students have been
revealing in their actions. Cone
sider the most prevalent reac—
tion. On Monday evening Stu-
dents lost countless hours or
study time while participating
in bull sessions about the nowe
passed Student Senate resolu-
tion,

Common to these bull ses-
sions were bitter jokes and
wry comments in rcicrcnce to
.the international situation;
everything iroin a cheery
“See ya in Berlin" to nervous
laughter over n ”Punch" car—
tooii in AK“.

John Ward gave us another
rcatllollithe sobering thought
oi the results of the war and
the realization of the irightene
ing mortality oi man.

An unidentiﬁed ditto sheet ap-
peared to the students' boxes
beiore hoiisemeetings to encour—
age support for the Student
Senate resolution. (The lack of
any indication of its origin
rubbed the wrong way.) In the
housemeetmgs serious students,
over 75 per cent of the student
body, voted 455—355 in tavor oi
the resolution. ,

As is the custom in democrat
ic societies, the representative
body then discussed the resoluv
tion i ~ several hours, However,
this discussion was unusually
solemn and restrained as they
attempted to discuss an emo-
tlollsrlddlcd (moral? strategic?
illl‘ldel'llne your choice) issue,
The Senate then voted 2047
against resumption of atmos—
pheric nuclear testing.

Even more reactions. A signif-
icant number of students are
leaving today ior Washington,
DC, on a hunger strike protest
against the testing. These peo-
ple are not showoiis; they are
not “beatniks” (a stupid word
anyway), They are serious, scn<
silivc people with a real aware—
ness at the possible tragedy
awaiting our high~powered civ-
ilization.

And further, two students,

To the Editor:

a couple, quietly walked
around the north side or the
town making a total oi nine
interviews regarding the test—
ing and the cold war. One
man didnt know that itussin
had exploited a 50 imegnton
bomb.

Another had read in a news
magazine that the US. was can
pable of obliterating Russia,
and he was in iavor oi getting
it over with. A third person, a
woman babysitter, i-eiused to
consider the question. She
wouldn’t listen to the radio, read
the papers or discuss it. All in-
terviewed iavcred resumption of
atmospheric testing it Russia
continues.

Mor Saturday evening a stu-
dent in a bull session said, “I
don’t even want, to think about
it. it scar - me to death,“

it is this last reaction, the
denial oi reality, which scares
me most For it is these people
who will commit suicide when
their ialse world is shattered
Steiner says this in “La Dolee
Vita,” “What men really need
(to fear is peace and a perieet
society!” (because they are il-
lusions).

The chapel speaker last Sune
day, Roger Hazleton. spoke “1*
directly to this point (the state-
ment is paraphrased). “The re
iiisal to question who 1 am and
why I act is a denial oi a
man's basic humanity and a re—
lusal to enter into the genuine
educational process" For the
student at Grinnell this point
is terribly urgent as was evie
denced by the complete atten—
tion of the congregation.

Not only students. but all
men are being forced by the
slow realization of the growing
threat to their artiﬁcial peace
to view themselves and then
act according to what they
really see when the artiﬁce is
removed,

These are truly times which
try men’s souls.

Steve Aldrich

To the Editor:

These are upsetting times _
times, indeed, which burden peo-
ple’s souls, Perhaps this explains
the iact that so many people
are going apc on the question
or peace.

Peace is won, it at all, by
those who are patient, quiet and
poi-severing, not by demagogucs,
not by wild sacrifices, but by
measured activity.

Therefore, let us who want
peace, be not so bold as to sit
on Kennedy’s lawn, or to rally
all to the cause oi peace,

Let us begin by winning peace
within ourselves, This means
courage and cominittinent to
ourselves, our iellows, and our
God.

Michael Coburn

The recent action oi thc Student Senate in resolving to oppose
the resumption oi atmospheric nuclear testing is undoubtedly one
that raises questions in many minds, Yet, it is so morally and
logically iustitiable that it demands the support oi the Griniicll

student body as a whole.
In the lust place, it is evident

from the remarks of the Deputy

Secretary at Defense. Roswell Gilpatric, that we are now in a
position to destl' v Soviet Russia and indeed the whole world
with our present .tockpile of atomic weapons
Why then. the question arises, must we endanger health and i

crease tensions by testing atomic weapons we do not need? Are
we so callous that we feel we must “keep up with the Joneses"
even in the held at atomic testing?

What good are a billion megatons of bombs it the 28,000
megatons we now have are more than sufficient to make a fune

oral pyl'o of the entire worlizl'.7

The explanation oi some that we are attempting to periect

a “Clean neutron bomb” and that

this is the reason [or the testing

is not in itsell' a logical argument.

We do not know ii this is the purpose oi the proposed tests
or how many “dirty” tests would be required to periect a clean
bomb. Furthermore, regardless oi what type of tests are conduct—
ed, an unhealthy increase in world tensions is bound to result.

lt, however, we wish lor a moment to be purely scliish let
us consider the eitect oi a resumption of tests on the world at
large, The reaction oi the other nations ol the world can only
be that the Unltcd States is little better than the Soviet Union.

We will lose not only the respect oi some oi the nations com—
mitted to our cause, but we also will endanger our position with
respect to the neutral countries of Asia and Atrica who are fast

becoming disillusioned with our

lack of principle.

The resumption of atomic testing then will not only hurt us,
but lose the respect that we have gained by thus far not follow-

ing the Russians.

In iaet there exists no good reason for resuming atomic test-
ing. On the,Contral'y, We Will only hurt ourselves and the world
by an action inspired out of fear instead of reason.

Ray onsticld

To the Editor: ,

On Thursday, November 2, 1
brought bciore the Senate the
resolution in opposition to a r e
sumption oi nuclear atmospheric
testing by the United States. At
that time the Senate voted 24719
to delay consideration or the
issue.

At that meeting I also made
a statement concerning the res
olution. This statement has been
condemned as excessively emo<
tional, untrue and based on pre~
judlce rather than on tact.

It could well be that people
have been emotional on this
issue. But atter all it is an emo—
tional issue, Radioactivity in—
,iures human beings and radio~
activity may Wall take its toll
in lives. What )5 my evidence?

Others, besides Linus Pauling,
have made statements concem<
ing the dangers oi radioactive
iallout. A United Nations re-
port says, “An estimated total
oi 25,000 to 150,000 cases oi l'eue
kemia will ultimately occur, if
tests are stopped in 1953, irom
tests already held . . . An eStl<
mated total ot up to 100,000
genetic detects will occur over
subsequent years irom tests 314
ready held.” (Table ll, page 42,
UN Report on Radiation).

As regards Carbon—lo, a reA
port prepared by the Atomic
Energy commission concludes
that bomb tests to Sept. 1958,
would cause 100,000 gross
physical or mental detects,
350,000 cases oi stillbirths and
childhood deaths, and 900,000
cases at embryonic and neona—
tal deaths irom this cause
alone (“The Biological Hazard
to Man of Carbon-ll irorn Nu-
clear Weapons").

Nobody knows for certain
exactly what the effects of ra-
diation are, But there is more
than substantial evidence oi
drastic consequences indeed.

It is important that every Stu-
dent on this campus understands
What this resolution is not. It

is not a proposal for unilateral
disarmament. it does not in any
way condemn underground test
ing. And no, it does not “ade
cate crawling to Moscow on our
hands and knees."

We must understand the his-
torical context in which the
United States decision to test
or not to test will be made. it
will occur in the midst of a very
touchy Berlin situation. Secre-
tary of State Rusk has called
the Berlin situation one oi up-
ward escalation. Upward escala-
tion oi tear, at challenge and
ot threats. The Soviet Union has
decided to continue this esca1a<
tion. What will ours be?

Several members or the Senate
urged a resumption ot tests on'
the ground that the United
States could periect an antimic-
sle missle and in so doing im-
prove the defensive capacity oi
the US, But these persons also
said that it would take four
years to perfect such a device.

In the next tour years, ,
wouldn't you rather see some
real steps taken toward achiev—
ing universal peace? Or would
you rather see each side
buildup a system or deicnsive
devices which would make
them more willing than ever
to hurt invcctivcs, challenges
ultimatiims bark and forth?

Last week Nikita Khruschev
was quoted as saying that the
Soviet Union is now iinished
with tests and will stay tinished
until and unless the United States
tests and will stay iinishcd un—
begins testing. 1 do not think

that there is a person on this
HALAMA
Cont. p. 11, col. 2

 

