TEST-BAN TREATY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 17

TEST-BAN TREATY

Senate Begins Debate (N.Z.P A.-Reuter—Copyrigltt) WASHINGTON, Sept. 9. The United States Senate opened a debate on the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty today shortly after President Kennedy agreed to reassure Congress that the pact would not halt American atomic development. United Press International reported. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator William Fulbright (Democrat, Arkansas) began the Administration’s battle for the treaty by telling his colleagues that the ban on all but underground nuclear tests was “both safe and wise.” There were these major developments as the Senate headed toward a vote on ratification some time next week:

The President agreed at a meeting with the Senate Demorcatic and Republican Party leaders, Senator Mike Mansfield and Senator Everett Dirksen, to send the Senate within the next few days a letter giving details of United States plans for atomic projects under the treaty. • Critical Report The Senate Preparedness Sub-committee issued a report highly critical of the treaty. It said the test ban would hinder United States weapons development and create “serious and perhaps formidable military disadvantages” for the United States. The report was approved on a 6-1 vote. Senator Dirksen gave a bipartisan boost to prospects for ratification by announcing that he would vote for the treaty. Senator Dirksen and Senator Mansfield predicted that the treaty would be approved by the two-thirds Senate majority needed for ratification, in spite of the apposition of such key figures as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator B. Russell, and Senator John Stennis, the head of the Preparedness Sub-committee. Senator Dirksen said the President’s letter, expected on Wednesday or Thursday, would be “extremely helpful” in calming some Senators' fears that the ban might work to Russia’s advantage.