78-14-A6
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Rostow I[edit]
Transcript[edit]I know you've heard or seen news reports of warnings by fromor Defense Department officials, retired military personnel and others, that our nation is in danger, our defenses inadequate and our attitude about Russia unrealistic. I know, too, that many Americans, including members of Congress, dismiss these warnings as coming from advocates of the military industrial ccmplex and, therefore, suspect. But on July 25th in this year of our Lord 1978, a man of unquestionable liberal credentials--Sterling Professor of Law, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs under the Johnson Administration--Eugene V. Rostow addressed a conference on U.S. Security and the Soviet Challenge. There is no way Eugene Rostow could be called a Hawk or a tool for military interests. That's why his address should be heard by every American. He opened his remarks saying:--QUOTE--"My assignment today is to examine the SALT II agreement now in prospect and to consider whether it is in the National Security interests of the United States." --UNQUOTE-- He acknowledged the desirability of having a treaty that abolished nuclear weapons and he recalled an episode we all recall with pride, the 1947 offer of the Baruch plan. That was the proposal we made to put our nuclear weapons and nuclear knowledge in the hands of an internal agency which would develop nuclear energy for peaceful use. We had a nuclear monopoly at that time. We could have commanded the world to do our bidding. The Soviet Union rejected the Baruch plan, signaling us that it intended to embark on an imperial course rather than join in peaceful, post-war cooperation. Professor Rostow then addressed himself to the subject of SALT II and to the political and public relations experts led by Hamilton Jordan who are trying to explain SALT II to the American people, He referred to than as the "SALT Sellers". And he said, --QUOTE--"they claim too much for the agreement. The administration and its supporters portray those who question SALT II as monsters of inequity who oppose arms control and lust for nuclear war with the Soviet Union."-- UNQUOTE-- And he cautioned against accepting political mythology. --QUOTE--"For nearly a century", he said, "there has been a current of opinion on the English speaking countries that arms limitation agreements are an important instrument of peace--and it is tenaciously held, resisting the challenge of contrary experience."--UNQUOTE-- He described the arguments on behalf of "SALT" as the same used on behalf of Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, when we sank scores of our warships and Britain did the same. Professor Rostow said, --QUOTE-- "The Washington Naval Treaty and its progeny led straight to Pearl Harbor."--UNQUOTE-- He cited several other such post-World War I agreements as helping to bring on World War II . Now we are told that without SALT II , he said, --QUOTE--"We'll bring back the 'Cold War' . "--UNQUOTE-- Well, listen to Rostow on the notion that Soviet-American relations have improved in recent years and that the Cold War is over.--QUOTE--"The fact is the Cold War is not over. To the contrary. it is worse than it has ever been, featured by Soviet threats and thrusts on a far larger scale than those of the simple days of the Berlin Airlift and the Crisis of Greece."--UNQUOIB- - This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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