Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-12
Foster Believes Senators
Would Ratify Test-Ban P act
BY STANLEY MEISLER
Associated Press Staff Writer

FanouStatNo &tNa7 otaAh WAttSA
william C. Foster, United
States disarmament director,
predicts q safe passage In the
Senate for any nuclear test
ban treaty signed by Russia
and the West.
He does not agree with those
who predict that a treaty would
provoke the most bruising bat
tie in the Senate since the pro-
posal to join the League Of
Nations after World War I. Nor
does he believe it would suffer
the same dismal fate.
1T would be tough" the So
year-old Mr.. Foster said in an
interview, but we could get a
treaty through the Senate"
Mr.. Foster, director of the
United States Arms Control
and Disarmament Agency, will
not take part IN the United
States British Russian nuclear
test-ban treaty negotiations in
Moscow next month. But, from
his office here, he will back up
the efforts Of the American
negotiators.
Hartman Heads Team
The chief negotiator for the
United States at the Moscow
talks, duled for next
month. will be Undersecretary
Of State Averell Hartman.
Adrian s. Fisher. deputy d.
rector of the Disarmament
Agency, will be the No. 2 man
on the negotiating team.
Mr.. Foster will have a major
role in selling any treaty to the
Senate. without the approval
of a two-thirds majority, the
treaty, like the League Of Ma
tions proposal almost so years
ago, would die, unratified.
Despite his optimism, Mr..
Foster said he has no illusions
about the significance of a nu-
clear test-tan treaty.
THE Importance Of a treaty
has been exaggerated" he said.
ut has symbolic value. E. cry
one feels that If we can't ne
gotiate a test when we are
so close then we can't nego-
tate any other part of the
disarmament program.
Fundamentally 1t might be,
possible to negotiate som e
other part Of the disarmament
program before a nuclear test
ban," he continued, "but psy-
chologically it's not possible.
Yet, If we had a test ban, we
still would be very far from dis
armament and arms control"
Mr.. Foster also saw an over
emphasis in the current con-
Germ over the number of in
spections in a treaty. The Rus
slams have said they would
allow no more than three in
spections Of possible under
ground tests. The Americans
have said they would settle for
no less than seven.
1.-THE number Of inspections
is not as important as the fact
that these inspections are part
Of a system" Mr.. Foster said.
I'VE want to know how long
we can inspect, who does the
inspecting, where do we inspect,
and so on.
"Three inspections q year
would be too little" he said.
But there's no magic in the
number seven" '45s.
MIR. Foster gave his views be-
fore President Kennedy an
nounced Monday that he, So
Wet Premier Khrushchev and
British Prime Minister Mac
milan had agreed to have rep
resentatives meet for the Mos
COW negotiations.
Reds Called Zeal Hurdle
Mr.. Foster has put in long
years as q corporation and
Government executive he was
administrator of the Marshall
Plan and Deputy Secretary of
Defense under President Tru-
man-and he speaks with ease.
Mr.. Foster took issue with
Senator Proxmire, Democrat Of
Wisconsin, and others who feel
the Senate is the big. black
obstacle" to a test ban.
Congress isn't the big, black
obstacle to a treaty" Mr.. Fos-
ter said with q smile. "The
Russians are"
II don't agree with those who
say the Senate would morality
q treaty" he continued. AT
the moment, you know, the
situation isn't clear. We don't
60 to Congress and fight for a