Nuclear stance

Press, 17 June 1986, Page 16

Nuclear stance

Sir,—The Ohio Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign wishes to formally acknowledge the position that New Zealand has taken relative to the United States military forces armed with nuclear weapons. In a world where the weapons are being proliferated so maddeningly, and without protest, it is astonishing and exhilarating to find a nation that recognises the basic insanity in "loving and living with the bomb.” We will do whatever we can to report this good news to this part of the world. Living in this nation, whose administration seems so bent on accelerating the arms race, we find that taking the news to the people and to our elected representa-' tives in a form that will be honoured is a difficult task. But when we realise the enormity of what it is that your nation did in the face of a bellicose world, we are strengthened and will work all the harder. — Yours, etc., LINDA MUSMECIKIMBALL, Vice-president, Ohio Nuclear Weapons, Freeze Campaign, Columbus, Ohio. . May 20, 1986.

Sir,—L. D. Reife (June 9) is wrong. Communists share wealth and power out to all.. Capitalists corner wealth and let others suffer. The indebtedness, hunger, disease, early death and misery of Third World nations is largely due to capitalism’s misuse of others’ lands, exploitation of their labour and down-pricing of their exports. Communists see their system as so superior that everyone, except capitalists, will adopt it by revolution. The Soviets’ belief in a Soviet-domin-ated world (1917) is rejected by the international communists. They certainly took some of Eastern Poland in 1939, but compensated Poland far more. The Soviets have not occupied all of Eastern Europe; they helped liberate it from the Nazis and took heavy reparations. They have militarily disciplined Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary and have defence-only garrisons in them and in East Germany, not elsewhere. A depression and Japanese-induced deficit (SIOIB, 1985) may make America become Fortress America again.—Yours, etc., SUSAN TAYLOR.

Sir,—l have just returned to the United States from a wonderful holiday in New Zealand. The ever-changing beauty was spectacular, the air clear, the bus drivers steady, and the people friendly. I enjoyed your clean, busy, civilised city, and was glad to have the opportunity to communicate with some people in Christchurch who are working hard for strong nuclear-free legislation. There are many Americans like myself who are angry at the Reagan Administration for its reckless nuclear-weapons policies and its bully tactics usefl against New Zealand. We support you and urge you to adopt a nuclear-free bill that will remove New Zealand entirely from the nuclear-weapon network, including communications and other indirect links. The people of New Zealand have provided a new surge of hope for our work in the United States and we thank yoq. — Yours, etc., « RICHARD W. KELLER. ; Ohio, i June 3, 1986. •