PERSPECTIVE ED
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Why Not Accept the Chinese Proposal?. i Moscow Promises a Better Explanation denne br trl 5 French CP Asks New Moscow Leaders What It's All About -- by Pierre Frank.. net ie ae ae 4 Setback for Government Coalition in Belgian ‘Elections shade -cinimrs ie Doni Under the Verwoerd Regime ........... Eectadheckchdeneatin ntcts ei oan " Plan Resumption of Action in Angola... 8 Demonstrations in Bolivian Cities 9 Famous Last Words...... sige sei et sone erg ra artatatne a Guerrilla Fighting Flares in “Venezuela ate Sates eget ie Meets Standard of Modern Liberals .......... sara ila tad ernata te eras genes ER The Joint Statement of the FLN and the French CP iia usaoca ot ceehee aS . see Guerrilla Warfare in Mozambique ... h - Eee pioen bone tow "y . 14 Southern Rhodesia, A "Volcano"... —' . ae Zambia Gains Political Independence peter come mernenienmenintrini. Ae aM, . Ld Suspicious-Minded Americans... sre bl me ei Ria lt dilate, SR as ae Revolt Shakes Abboud Regime in Sudan... won nine scene Se Aly LT Ceylonese Trotskyists Plan New Paper ........ a re ae ee ee Allen Sentenced for Attempt to Leave Nigeria ae beeen = At aut 26 Documents: South Africa (A Memorandum Submitted to the
Committee of Nine) -- Part 2... weonethaccens : . 8 Ceylonese Trotskyists Defend Freedom of Prega lA POT Se 0 ae China Proposes a Nuclear Summit Conference cde eh A id Raed Are sere a0 UES
WHY NOT ACCEPT THE CHINESE PROPOSAL?
When it made its first successful test of a nuclear weapon on October 16, the Chinese government proposed that a summit conference be convened. Addressing all governments, it proposed that the conference include "all the countries of the world.”
The aim of the conference would be to reach an agreement on
the “complete banning and total destruction of nuclear arms." AS a first step, the Chinese government proposed that the nuclear powers and those about to become nuclear powers make a pledge not to employ nuclear arms whether against ' ynon-nuc lear countries, denuclearized zones, or against each other." (Por full text of the declaration see page 30.] on
The Johnson .administration responded with unusual speed. The explosion of the nuclear weapon, it seems, was loud enough to remind the arrogant rulers of America that China after all does exist. But Johnson's answer was scarcely satisfactory. He dismissed ‘the proposal of the Chinese government as so much "propaganda."
But Johnson's assertion is not equivalent to proof. If the American government is convinced that the Chinese proposal is only propaganda then they should have no hesitation in proving it by _ accepting the invitation. The outcome of the conference would show who is sincere and who is not.
The Johnson administration showed that its own declarations—were mere propaganda by refusing to accept even the proposal of the Chinese government to pledge never to use atomic arms .
Washington did make a gesture about extending the | partial nuclear test-ban treaty to include underground testing. What hypocrisy! After almost twenty years of testing, including an admitted thirty-five underground tests in the _past. year, after heaping up atomic weapons to such heights | that all humanity. could be liquidated at least seventy times over in, a nuclear war, . Johnson is willing to consider a ban on all further tests!
The truth is that the United States is now no longer in need of further tests; indeed has not needed any new tests of any kind for some time. This is proved.to the hilt by two scientists, both of whom have participated inthe U.S. nuclear weapons program, in the October issue of Scientific American. _ a. Two other alternatives are open to the Johnson administra- ““ tion if it is sincerely interested in stopping the nuclear arms race, or in helping to avoid further atomic pollution of the earth's atmosphere: (1) It can declassify all information on how to make nuélear weapons, thus making it unnecessary for the Chinese government to conduct further experimental tests. (2) If it doesn't want to go to a conference with China, it can propose universal disarmament without a conference and show that it means business by begin-
Be
ning unilaterally to dismantle its own nuclear stockpile.
Actions of this kind would at once signify a fundamental change of course, away from nuclear war toward peace.
It is not likely that the Johnson administration will adopt any of these rational alternatives to its present suicidal course. Thereby it will lend further substance to the Chinese argument that under the circumstances there is no choice but to build a nuclear "deterrent" as part of the military defense against the American military threat.
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