Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-08

AAoNN
two announcements to make.
In the next days and weeks,
there will be a good deal said
and written about two Ameri-
can policies. one in the field
Of disarmament, and the other
In the field of preparations
which have already been an
nounced, to be in a position
to test in the atmosphere if
our national security indicates
1t is desirable.
There is no inconsistency
here in my Judgment, because
! think that we would be deep
ly irresponsible not to follow
both courses. We are making
necessary preparations for test
Ing because of the wholly new
situation created by the Sc
cretly prepared and massive
series Of 40 to SO tests con-
Quoted by the Soviet Union
last fall while active efforts for
a test ban agreement were still
going forward.
Cites u. S. Efforts
This Soviet action took place
IN the face of a whole series
OF actions and efforts on our
side. In the last year we have
made at least a dozen new
moves in a search for an agree
ment, and we have restated
again and again our willing
ness to sign an effective treaty,
and we stated it before, during
and after the Soviet tests. The
Soviet tests not only ended the
moratorium; they presented us
with grave questions as to the
long range safety of avoiding
all atmospheric tests, while the
USSR remained able to pre-
pare in secret, and then test
at will.
We are amply strong for
today and tomorrow, but we
must consider the future, too.
These questions are still being
reviewed, and there will be no
testing that is not clearly neces-
Sary, but I have ordered prep
arations because shall not
hesitate to order the tests
themselves If it is decided that
they are necessary to maintain
the effective deterrent strength
Of the United States.
Must Follow Two Courses
Any other course would i'm
ply unilateral disarmament
and would serve no true course
of peace, but at the same time
and with equal energy, we shall
go on seeking a path towards
a genuine and controlled dis
armament. What this means
for atmospheric testing is
methods of inspection and con-
troll which could protect us
against the repetition of pro-
longed secret preparation for
a sudden series of major tests.
If and when effective agree
mentS can be reached, no ma
ton will be more ready than
ours to see all testing brought
under control, and nuclear
weapons as well. The fact that
we must prudently meet our
defense needs in the meantime
is only one more reason for
working towards disarmament.
So I repeat that these two
courses are consistent with each
other. We must follow both at
once. It would be great error
to suppose that either of them
makes the other wrong or un-.
necessary.
I wholly disagree with those
who would put all their faith
in an arms race and abandon
their efforts for disarmament.
But 1 equally disagree with
those who would allow us to
neglect our defensive needs in
the absence of effective agree
ments CT controlled disarma-
ment.
Praise College Aid Bill
Secondly, I want to take this
opportunity to express my
pleasure at the Senate's action
yesterday retaining in the
college aid bill the provision
for $4,000 college scholarships.
1t is urgent that this provision
be retained in the conference
and not dropped out or compro-
missed by another student loan
program. A loan Of $4,000 OF
$500 would enable mary
bright but needy students to
receive four years Of college
working his way for the bal
ance, but one-half of all Amer
lean families earn less than
$500 a year, and they simply
cannot take on that kind Of
debt. Colleges which are caught
in financial squeezes themselves
can afford to offer scholarship:
to only about 10 per cent Of
their students. All American
parents want their children tx
have an opportunity to go tt
college, but only few are ablt
to put aside the $1,000 which
the average four-year cours'
now requires. The cost ha!
nearly doubled since 1850 and
as I said in my message, thi
Nation, as a result, loses eacl
year the talents of hundred
and thousands Of our mos
talented high school graduate
who cannot afford to postpon
earning a living for four NOR
years. This is a real nationa
and individual loss, and I hop
the Congress will keep tn,
scholarships in the bill.
Backs McNomoro