U.S. Disarmament Offer Expected

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28161, 27 December 1956, Page 7

U.S. Disarmament Offer Expected

[Specially written for the N.Z.P.A. by FRANK OLIVER)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 25 The possibility of dramatic disarmament steps by the United States is being discussed in Washington. Final touches are now being given to the Budget, and the President’s State of the Union message—that is a mixture of a judge’s summing up, a sermon, and an exhortation. Some Washington observers say its text will be peace, which looks like a very sound guess. Others believe it will speak about disarmament, which is a reasonably good guess in view of the many straws the wind is blowing about. For years disarmament has been the big word often used but seldom thought about seriously and described as pie in the skyunattainable. In recent months there has been a change, and it is being talked about and thought about with more seriousness than at any time since the end of the war. Marshal Bulganin’s last letter to President Eisenhower on the subject is certainly being taken more seriously than his previous epistles. What appears to be causing the changed attitude is the belief that the inter-continental ballistic missile, with a range of four even five thousand miles is, if pot just round the corner, then over the next hill. If true, it means that within a couple of years a few buttons, whether pushed in the forests of northern Russia or somewhere in America, could create many Hiroshimas in less time than it takes to count to a hundred.

These missiles, say some sources, could be pre-timed, pre-directed, pre-set and incapable of interception. This is being said in Washington, and is why some officials like Mr Harold Stassen believe America should keep trying to negotiate with the Soviets “while there is still time.” Nothing very official has been said about disarmament because the press has pretty much lost contact with the President. President Roosevelt held two press conferences a week. President Eisenhower has not had one since midNovember, though it has been a period of international turbulence. But the system of “leaks” has been developed which allows the press brief insights into official thinking. One such recent leak said, without giving any authority, that America was to try to break the disarmament impasse. Actually this leak came from Mr Stassen, and there is some speculation that one way in which he impasse might be broken is to limit the testing and development of atomic bombs—the proposal Mr Adlai Stevenson made during the recent election campaign. Consequently, some observers are expecting something rather dramatic in the President’s State of Union message if and when he touches on the subject of disarmament. Coins for Christmas Dinner.— Coins thrown into a wishing well in Hull's city centre totalled £5OO. The money was used to pay for Christmas dinners for 1500 elderly persons living alone.—London. December 25.