SALT sellers:

...But along came the nuclear dential candidates...

...That is, of course, are they are for arms control...

...FRANK GETLEIN IN THE END POLITICS WILL COUNT SALT sellers PETER KOVLER power plant accident at Three Mile Island and, even though there are few real similarities between meltdowns and mushBECAUSE THEY have been so arcane and so abstract, room clouds, in Washington (which is only 150 miles from debates about nuclear war, nuclear arms and nuclear Harrisburg) the dangers of the nuclear age have suddenly strategies have almost always provoked boredom or become awesomely real...

...In fact it is said that one of the reasons the treaty...

...Said one administration UT AS ANY freshman political science textbook will tell aide, "We take McGovern and Hatfield seriously but we still you, there are several factors in a senator's decision, ,don't know their significance...

...mails,-that the military panoply and the crepe-soled tional security is crazy as a coot and so showed a rare tenderness in Brecht...

...accusing the administration of "selling out...

...Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II) the most interest- At the same time the head of congressional liaison, Frank ing and important foreign policy issue since the Vietnam war...

...It is because of such indifference, senators none of Whom are on the Foreign Relations or Armed and even occasional lethargy, that both sides have begun to Services Committees, the Group tries to get regular briefings fight so early...

...Lyon found about 1947...

...In- trying to...

...Consisting of ten I think it all sounds alike...

...tional security...

...If he with the gut response of his voters...

...audience what it is believed the audience wants to hear...

...Soon after the treaty is been briefed, another twenty will soon know our viewpoint...

...Leader and because middle-of-the-road Republicans seem to Just as aware of the importance of public pressure is the follow his lead...

...If Glenn believes that the agreements can opposition it opened its offices in January...

...tercepts, whatever, on Bertolt Brecht...

...The administration believes that "once the credentials that anyone in his position carries-goes to speak facts are known" it will get the needed 27...

...And that gives him the best reason of all to vote swamp their senators...

...They are Senators Stennis, cal senator will probably look at two lists of distinguished Jackson, Moynihan, Robert Byrd, Baker and John Glenn...

...Lyon will, certainly not the would think someone would draw the bureaucracy...

...crucial Baker's support was in the debate on the Panama Canal According to one close SALT observer, "Americans for treaties...

...were justified, not to mention ations we mount against our own citiWar...

...There are about 40 senators who now support their respective territories...

...But when the State Department sends out Paul Warnke, the former chief SALT negotiator who is generally perceived as a dove, the emphasis is on how to end the "mindless" arms race...

...Something called the Cranston group (named after California Senator Alan Cranston) consists of 20 members and debate topic) in this country since 1945...

...Charles Yost, Rev...

...Can we afford this kind of expense...

...Money is no last 13 years of his life...

...Realizing the likelihood of goes with the administration then others will have a hard time that occurrence, both pro- and anti-treaty forces are at work...

...This is because each speaker tends to tell his or her Between now and next fall, of course, anything can happen...

...The budget...

...As a result, unknown...

...all means throw shadows, bugs, mail inliterature, James K. Lyon, who brought a It all goes beyond Nixon, of course...

...As during the Panama PETER KOVLER has written for the New York Times, The Nation and Canal debate last year, the administration fears being cast as other journals...

...Foremost is Henry Kis- All of this is not to say that the actual substance of the treaty singer...

...Even though curbe corroborated, in all likelihood he will go along...

...from the experts...

...signed, the Carter administration will have to submit it to the No senator ' will be able to say that he wasn't adequately Senate where two-thirds approval is necessary...

...Wouldn't formula now exists in the case of L. Pat- sleep better at night...

...As Baker has already announced his intentions Americans for SALT...

...probably the most important being his belief that he is Handicappers of the Senate now point out about six senators adequately reflecting his constituents...

...In short, on any given representatives from the White House, the Arms Control and day on Capitol Hill there will probably be several meetings on Disarmament Agency (of the State Department), the European Affairs Office of the State Department, the Department of SALT...

...organizations with non-Nixonian views...

...In addition, there are groups like the American rate (4,500 in March) is in recognition of the administration's Conservative Union which has already spent hundreds of political needs...

...But, at rent polls show that 80 percent of the American people favor a present, he is playing it down the middle and his stand is still Treaty, polls also show that the support is shallow...

...Nitze says, "We should reject the expansion in Africa...

...full Senate) before it finally casts the ayes and nays...

...a treaty, about 17 who are irrevocably opposed and about 43 Defense Secretary Harold Brown-with the impeccable who do not know...

...It freedom of information action against the The Monster of San Clemente was just isn't that we know Brecht is guilty-as in bureau to get selected items from its the caricature of a national security mad- fact he turned out not to be-but that we 1,000 page report on Brecht covering the ness shared by all administrations since don't know he's innocent...

...If madness in action is some private letters-presumably the madness has paralleled the growth of defined as an inappropriate response, nafilched from the U.S...

...Chancellor Schmidt, French President Giscard d'Estaing and Senate will be politics...

...And, all together, it makes the upcoming Commonweal: 262 Senate ratification of the treaty to emerge from the latest spokesmen to Chambers of Commerce in smaller cities...

...he said that even with approval of the treaty the U.S...

...We should add $4 billion to $5 billion to the defense Russians are permitting Jews to leave at such a relatively high budget...

...It has already been shown on more than 200 TV Then, of course, Majority Leader Byrd has great influence stations...

...This is why otherwise sane executhis country, outside the mind of J. Edgar Gray as a witness, namely to testify that tive office-holders go bananas at the Hoover, could we just call the whole he told them to go out and break in to mention of the two little words, "nathing off...

...whether we have the like to be supported by such "hawks" as Dean Rusk...

...carefully filing reports on the latest pro- noted, "One must also ask if the enorm- we get, and the deadlier, the more we duction of Mother Courage as being sub- ous amounts of time, energy and money tremble...

...Their chief theory-that SALT cannot be considered in isolation from strategist is Paul Nitze, a former Secretary of the Navy and other Russian activities such as the treatment of dissidents or former SALT negotiator...

...So, for ining millions of dollars, sending speakers all over the country stance, when Harold Brown delivered a speech in early April, and feverishly trying to marshal the political troops...

...Going a little farther back, the administration would ICBMs not in silos are to be limited...

...Theodore Hesburgh and treaty before he could support it...

...Zbigniew Brzezinski, no slouch himself on the Rusthreat from the right...

...Also, the office of Anne Wexler, Assistant to the vers now predict that the Senate will not act hastily but will President, tries to nurture grass roots support by talking to the take about six months (four months in Committees, two in the leaders of national organizations...

...Moynihan, like Jackson, has the well- thousands of dollars on an advertising campaign to defeat the deserved reputation of an anti-Soviet...

...But seeing the growth of the debate, verification...

...one gets the impression that after all the expert testimony has Among the U.S.'s European allies, it appears that German been heard, the ultimate factor in the deliberations of the U.S...

...Since let off because he would have to violate such thing as national security...

...history...

...As one aide told me, "Eighty senators have tails on how to limit the arms race...

...Several technology to verify their commitments...

...FBI-CIA operversively opposed to the Thirty Years spent...

...Howard Baker's support Richard Viguerie, plans to flood senators with anti-SALT is universally considered crucial because he is the Minority mail...

...What One must, but it seemed unlikely any- ledge and easily demonstrable, you about cutting down the dread federal one but Dr...

...For thirteen years, and nothing...

...If Margaret Thatcher stood in Washington...

...Pre- quality extremely difficult even to debeen or is likely to be declared a crime in dictably, the underlings will subpoena fine...

...bewilderment...

...Americans for SALT (like the others) realize that campaigns Perhaps the most influential figures will be several foreign and advertising may make an enormous difference...

...Doubtless this held true on Capitol Hill where Add to this phenomenon the escalating fear of The Rusthe basic politician, even the most well-meaning one, was sians...

...Jackson is the leading proponent of the linkage ments and sent speakers throughout the country...

...Even Despite this interval the treaty's friends and foes have started though this is obviously nothing new in American politics, it to campaign aggressively for their causes...

...Gerald Ford is another in that same Many grave questions will be debated: whether Russian category...

...tive...

...the moral and legal implications such an zens, the more we fear for our security...

...Lyon suring our security...

...operation has...

...Come October, a typiwhose views will sway colleagues...

...Then, consider that the United States Senate is the often ill at ease with the Pentagon's acronymic jargon of current political home of at least six publicity-starved presiMIRVs, ABMs, ICBMs, etc...

...Each side is spend- endangers the credibility of the administration...

...The burglars out into the private sector, we'd from the Times and Variety...

...It is also To those who believe in the administration's view, the generally believed that the Senate's approval or disapproval campaign is being conducted shrewdly and intelligently...

...And finally the direct mail wizard of the right wing, because of the power of his position...

...They are said to meet regularly to map of deja vu...

...achieve an absolute degree of a amelioration, against tyranny-has yet stead Justice will try the underlings...

...While counting votes is one of the favorite types of idle Defense, the National Security Council, the White House conversation in Washington, there are some good informal legislative liaison office and the State Department legislative estimates on the positions taken so far by the members of the liaison office...

...centrist Republicans...

...In early April, for instance, he Townsend Hoopes, Henry Cabot Lodge, former Ambassador declared that there would have to be several changes in the to the U.N...

...accompanying belief in Russian belligerence, the administraMeanwhile the State Department sends its lower echelon tion knows whom it has to appease...

...names, those who approve and those who don't, and then Stennis, head of the Armed Services Committee, has some of decide that since the experts disagree he is best off going along the best right-wing credentials in modem U.S...

...the reviews tell us all we need to know, rick Gray, under whose leadership of the The essential error in making national namely that the dangerous playwrights FBI the burglaries against the Socialist security the top national consideration it are once more coming out for social Workers Party were committed...

...Gathering together are they won't be bullied by their seniors...

...The administration needs his support if it is to win over will not have a great deal of bearing on whether it passes...

...With the rise of neoconservatism and the sians, talks to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations...

...While there has been writer for several Washington political figures...

...whether the Carter big names have already announced opposition, including Mel- administration is making too many compromises so that a vin Laird and former Admirals Thomas Moore and Elmo treaty will only be the introduction to increased military exZumwalt...

...about the case was through a professor of were crooks...

...Hit him...

...The pronouncement is re- former delegate to the U.N...

...Moore, is ceaselessly solicitious as he brings senators and their Americans and Russians are now negotiating the final de- staffs up-to-date...

...Finally, John Glenn has made himself an SALT people are, Americans for SALT was supposed to begin expert on what may be the single most important issue in the only after a treaty was signed...

...would be At first glance the imminent brouhaha seems like a repeat of free to proceed with unlimited spending on strategic forces as every other foreign policy debate (as well as every high-school well as increased spending on new weapons like the MX mobile Intercontinental Missile...

...That reality is now quite well underPrime Minister Callaghan will back it...

...Among other things, they are sending around a film well informed and able to make a convincing case for called "Soviet Might and American Myth: The United States whichever side he takes...

...compromises with conservatives), the White House is certainly not alarmed by the prospects...

...some fear of desertion from the left (Senators McGovern and II May 1979: 263 Hatfield think the administration may be making too many B wins in Great Britain, however, her support is doubtful...

...Then there is the Coalition For Peace the Russians coming or not...

...policy leaders from our recent past...

...Commonweal: 264...

...Illustrating how fearful some proagainst the treaty...

...Gray is has been for 30 years is that there is no amelioration, against tyranny...

...to conservative audiences like the Council on Foreign RelaFor the most part the SALT salesmen are worried about the tions...

...But if Baker wants to win the Republican nomination SALT will probably try to have key people in key states write he will have to protect his right flank against Reagan, Crane letters as opposed to the anti-SALT tactic of simply trying to and Connally...

...He has served as legislative assistant and speech the leaders of a declining superpower...

...And then there is the SALT Study Group (also know as the undecided Senators For SALT) led by Vietnam or Cuba or Hungary or Berlin, you'd understand why Senators John Melcher and William Roth...

...Administration "salesmen" have been assigned upper chamber...

...Most obser- informed...

...Oddly enough, the growth of object...

...Offhand, can Justice Department devoted to sheltering obvious conclusions: namely that if we you think of a better place to start than from justice members of the department cut back on military spending, we'd be firing the poet-playwright squad, hiring found out to have committed criminal more secure, if we got the government in its place a G-3 clerical to clip reviews acts against the populace at large...

...The more weapons delusions...

...But the public, senators still listen of their advice...

...But will shape the future of the relationship between the two to those who oppose the treaty, this campaign seems decepsuperpowers...

...Since that correlation is public knowWhat about tightening the old belt...

...To all but the professional arms Through Strength, made up of the unalterably opposed control activist, the arguments, rhetorical questions, Senators like Robert Dole, Paul Laxalt, Orin Hatch, Jake Garn scenarios, theories and syllogisms provide an enormour sense and Jesse Helms...

...shoe squads that are supposed to be en- are most of the people caught up in its That's something, although as Dr...

...It is true the FBI's shadowing of Thereupon Justice will drop the case They are in pursuit of an impossible Brecht had a note or two of redeeming rather than risk the shattering of national dream and the very pursuit moves the social value...

...With non-administration leaders such as to run for president it is clear that he could use SALT to get Clark Clifford, former Undersecretary of the Air Force himself some public attention...

...in Retreat...

...MEANWHILE in the Senate there is organization fever...

...For decades The Committee on the Present Danger is a Washingtonnow, Henry Jackson has made a unique reputation for himself based pro-defense organization which has distributed docuas a hardliner...

...However much these men may seem like ghosts to penditures...

...He is also considered accords...

...All of these are completely valid questions...

...Said one congressional aide, "The question now is ,can we trust them after Iran?' Well, if you replaced Iran with strategy to defeat the Treaty...

...The way we all found out security with the news that the Nixonians dream ever farther from attainment...

...The more illegal...

...We are neither of those positions-pro- national security to defend himself...

...And, finally, there are the Freshmen The Carter administration is already holding coordinating Senators For SALT who apparently want it to be known that meetings two or three times per week...

...Special Session on Disarmament ported to have upset the White House, which recalls how Marjorie Benton, this group hopes to rally public support...