HIGH NOON AT GENEVA
Humphrey, Senator Hubert H.
PROGRESSIVE High Noon at Geneva by SENATOR HUBERT H. HUMPHREY In recent years, The Progressive has sharply criticized American conduct at the Geneva test ban negotiations, especially the lack of...
...Nuclear testing may be resumed not only by the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, but it may be continued by France and may be begun by Communist China, and perhaps a half dozen or so other powers which are able to achieve a nuclear weapons capability...
...In other words, there would not be self-inspection...
...Furthermore, the treaty will provide that the results of research can be incorporated into the control system...
...The Soviet Union is today bargaining with the future of mankind, and it is bargaining recklessly...
...It is completely unacceptable...
...It is time that the United States of America spoke openly, fearlessly, and frankly about these matters...
...PROGRESSIVE High Noon at Geneva by SENATOR HUBERT H. HUMPHREY In recent years, The Progressive has sharply criticized American conduct at the Geneva test ban negotiations, especially the lack of preparation of the American negotiators and our intransigent position on negotiable issues...
...These negotiations, which began in October, 1958, have covered some 280 meetings, three technical working groups, and scores of informal sessions...
...I say this as one who has been keenly concerned with and interested in this subject of nuclear test suspension and who has advocated it under proper safeguards of inspection and control...
...We shall not condone the use of a veto in the day-by-day operations of the control systems...
...We have kept nothing back...
...The Soviets last year had agreed with the United States and the United Kingdom that "the administrator shall be the chief executive officer of the system and head of the staff of the control organization...
...The Soviet Union has again applied the kind of brinksmanship which threatens the peace and security of all mankind...
...That was an agreed-upon provision in the draft of the treaty...
...There is no hope for any kind of disarmament unless we can at least take the first step of an inspected nuclear test cession treaty...
...Let there be no mistake about this: there can be no disarmament, nor can there be reduction of armaments, without inspection and control...
...Second—Several on-site inspections per year would be allowed in the Soviet Union, in the United States, and in the United Kingdom, to check a suspicious event to determine whether it was or was not a nuclear explosion...
...My hope is that the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States will succeed in drafting a treaty to end nuclear weapons testing...
...If, however, the Soviet Union elects to follow a tactic of stalling—and, regrettably, this now appears to be the case—of refusing to agree on a system of inspection and control, and of shifting its position, as it has, by proposing a tri-partite administration with a built-in veto, then we shall know that once again a first step toward disarmament has been snatched from our grasp...
...The United States negotiating team is well prepared and is determined to conduct serious negotiations...
...I do not seek to have a proliferation of these weapons or an expansion of them...
...They are not to be prevented from going immediately to the site of a possible nuclear test, if the instruments of the control posts indicate such an event may have taken place...
...The Editors The United States, on March 21, resumed negotiations in Geneva with the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union for the discontinuance of nuclear weapons testing...
...I feel that we are actually at high noon at Geneva in the nuclear test cessation conference...
...I hope that in the weeks ahead, after a careful re-examination of the United States-British proposals, that the Soviet delegates at Geneva will receive instructions from their home office at the Kremlin to bargain in good faith...
...If the Soviet Union follows this tactic, nuclear testing may well be resumed...
...Such a treaty, if carried out in good faith according to its letter and its spirit, would demonstrate that it is possible to combine steps involving the reduction of arms with steps involving effective control and inspection...
...If it were hampered, this would be grounds for abrogation of the treaty...
...Decisions of the control commission will be made by simple majority vote, except in a few cases, to be stated in the treaty, where the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union have agreed either on unanimity or a two-thirds majority...
...Every position in controversy in preceding negotiations was reviewed, and a new United States position was established...
...We went to this Geneva conference prepared to negotiate every item in the draft treaty...
...I believe that we are better prepared at this time for serious negotiations than at any time in recent years...
...If this is the position the Soviet Union plans to maintain in the test ban and all other disarmament negotiations, then the Soviet Union is saying, in effect, that it is really not interested in any type of disarmament or even in steps leading to disarmament...
...Dean's departure for Geneva, I discussed with him our negotiating program...
...The United States, I know, will not budge from this position...
...Let the world know that if these test ban talks fail because of the Soviet Union's intransigence and because of Soviet tactics, the responsibility this time for the arms race and its continuance will rest squarely upon the leadership of the Soviet Union...
...Sixth—The control organization would provide for a research program for the improvement of techniques in the detection and identification of nuclear explosions and natural phenomena...
...For the first time, we had a position prepared on every unresolved point...
...Fourth—The personnel of the control system would not be hampered in the pursuit of its duties...
...This is the veto in new clothing...
...on the administrator for the test ban control organization...
...This result cannot be achieved by us alone...
...Any inspection system which does not provide on-site inspection cannot possibly be effective...
...The Soviet Union understands straight talk...
...We are seeking accommodation with the Soviet Union on these points...
...Now, however, the situation seems reversed, and it is the Soviets who are blocking progress toward a test ban treaty...
...If they do that, then much of the talk about easing world tensions will at least have its first possible chance of success...
...The peace organizations of America must speak up fearlessly, not only to our own government, but also to other governments, particularly to the Soviet Union...
...Third—The majority of the technical personnel at the control posts, at the headquarters of the control system, and on the inspection teams would not be nationals of the country being inspected and controlled...
...The control system now being sought by the United States does contain safeguards: First—There would be placed in the Soviet Union several control posts, equipped with sensitive instruments, to record phenomena which might be nuclear explosions...
...Fifth—The control organization would not be hampered by a veto...
...Such a provision would constitute a fraud...
...We must face the fact that no such perfect system is currently possible, given the present state of technology in detection and the fanaticism of the Soviets towards secrecy and their fear of an open society...
...It requires that the peace-loving peoples of the world bring whatever pressure they can upon the great powers to come to an agreement...
...If we cannot take that step, then the talk of disarmament is an exercise in futility...
...According to the new Soviet view, the three administrators would have to be in unanimous agreement before decisions could be made and carried out...
...A test ban treaty could also contribute to breaking down the wall of secrecy and suspicion which surrounds so much of Soviet thinking and action...
...We have gone to the conference prepared to negotiate—indeed, to compromise...
...Seventh—If countries such as France and Communist China do not sign the treaty and abide by its obligations, the United States would be freed thereby of its obligations to refrain from nuc}ear weapons testing...
...Control posts would also be located in the United States and in all parts of the world...
...On both these counts, however, a test ban treaty could improve the situation...
...The straight talk needs to come not only from the executive branch of our government, as it is coming now, but also from Congress...
...I seek to halt the arms race before it consumes us...
...The guest editorial below by Senator Hubert H. Humphrey is adapted from a speech he made in the Senate recently...
...We have unfolded our position to the Soviet Union...
...The Soviets now propose an administrative council composed of three administrators, one representing the United States, the United Kingdom, and its allies, one representing the Soviet Union and its satellites, and one representing neutral states...
...A treaty offers opportunity for increasing our knowledge of detection...
...In listing these safeguards I would not want anyone to think that it is possible to have a hundred per cent foolproof or cheat-proof system to monitor the cessation of nuclear weapons tests...
...I want the people who believe in the cause of peace to understand what is taking place...
...We are sincere in wanting to get down to business, and we want to complete the drafting of an acceptable treaty...
...These control posts would also be able to record events in the Soviet Union...
...The personnel would have rights of movement similar to all diplomatic agents...
...I commend President Kennedy for his selection of Arthur Dean, one of the outstanding legal minds of our nation, as our chief negotiator...
...If the Soviet Union wants a treaty and is prepared to accept a control and inspection system, the Soviet representative at the test ban talks will find the United States and Great Britain receptive...
...The whole world should be shocked at the position now taken by the U.S.S.R...
...Prior to Mr...
...Senator Humphrey, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Disarmament of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been one of the foremost spokesmen in Congress for negotiated disarmament protected by inspection and controls...
...It should not be talk which is belligerent in nature, because I for one seek reconciliation and an agreement with proper safeguards and controls...
...We have attempted to put on the conference table every unresolved point...
Vol. 25 • May 1961 • No. 5
