The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1961-09-28
This Week
In Congress
BY Charles Nee. Matthias, Jr.
Sixth District-Maryland

The concept of terminating the
arms race and achieving eventual
( disarmament seems desirable to
the vast majority of mankind This
general agreement does not extend
much further, however, than this
ultimate objective How theory
can be reduced to practice, who
will start doing it and when and
where to start are all subjects of
extended and prolonged debate.
Fear is the greatest enemy Of
disarmament No nation will vol
unfairly lay down its arms while it
fears hostile action on the part
of other nations No government
will strip itself of weapons if it
fears that without instruments of
force it will be unable to control
internal disturbances Thus there
must be some way to make an
estimate of the minimum military
force required to keep the peace
if single sword is to be beaten
into a pillow share.
But the problem is more COM
pick than a mere matter of Sc
curity. The effect on society of
disarmament would be great, but
the benefits would only be
achieved after substantial readjust-
ments. 1t is wonderful to think of
the shifting to peaceful purposes
of the talents, efforts and money
now being expended on war, but
few people realize just how much
hard work this shift will require,
Consider the protests, hardships
and personal dislocations that oc-
cur today when a single defense
industry or military installation is
closed down or moved to a differ
cnt location When it is realized
that the United States spends half
its immense national income in
defense activities, the profound eff
feet that a substantial change in
the level of our defense activity
would make can be appreciated.
{ Such readjustmcnts can be made
successfully, however, when care
fully planned
1t becomes apparent, therefore,
that we can scarcely make an in
telligent and fresh approach to the
promises and problems of arms
control until We know more about
it. The vast spectrum of arms avail
able today makes a study of the
problem so complex as to demand
the full attention of specialists
in this field.
For several months the Congress
has been considering the question
Of setting up special body to
study this question. Such a step
had been advocated by former
President Eisenhower and had
The support of President Ken
ncdy. In hearings before the For
eign Affairs Committee such dis
tinguishcd Americans as Henry
Cabot Lodge and General Lucius
Clay testified in favor of estab-
fishing an agency to concentrate
on developing all the facts which
affect disarmament proposals.
On September 23rd the House
of Representatives approved legis-
lation to establish a United States
Arms Control and Disarmament
Agency which will collect and
cValuate information end establish
policy concerning arms control
which is now done by numerous
and uncoordinatCd Federal
I Agencies | voted for this measure
which received a favorable vote
of PSI to so.
The strength of the United
States has great influence today in
preventing that very war which
all thinking people dread. We must
not lessen our strength or readi-
ness, but we must also realistically
approach the problem of living in
a world where many nations may
someday possess the ability to dc
stroy man.
| 1t was clear from the debate