University Daily Kansan Wednesday, May 16, 1962
New Ideas Absent At Testing Debate
By Bob Hoyt
Few new facts were aired at the Nuclear Testing fact-finding forum last night in the Kansas Union, but old ones were re-hashed.
The tone of the debate was not one of conflict, but rather a consensus that nuclear testing involves more than the weapons themselves.
THE MODERATOR, Stuart Levine, assistant professor of English, said—and a panel member opposing nuclear testing, Charles Landesman, assistant professor of philosophy agreed—that many people "have the creeps" over nuclear testing and the world situation in general.
"In a democracy,' Prof. Landesman said, 'the leader must show why the people should follow him.'
Frof. Landesman expressed concern that the Kennedy administration has not "presented enough information to justify the current series of tests.
He said President Kennedy has not offered sufficient proof for the necessity of the current series of tests.
"PERHIAPS ONE REASON for conducting the present series of tests is to stay ahead of the Russians," he said. "If so, it is a dangerous idea, because stability depends on no power having the advantage."
He said our real problem is to persuade the people in the uncommitted countries that they want to be free. According to Prof. Landesman, the current series of tests does not serve the cause of freedom.
"They are merely a show of force which alienates many of the uncommitted nations."
ALSO OPPOSING the current series of tests was Dale Johnson, instructor of sociology. He said that utter World War II it would have been "foohardy" not to test because the Russians were also developing nuclear weapons.
Now, according to Prof. Johnson, a good part of world opinion is against our testing.
"If this series would guarantee our security for any appreciable amount of time, it would be a different matter," Prof. Johnson said, "but they only give the idea that we are working militarily rather than politically toward a solution to world problems."
FELIX MOOS, INSTRUCTOR of anthropology, and Russell Mesler, associate professor of chemical engineering, favored the current test series.
Prof. Mesler said that though the testing is clouded in security, he understands that the tests are contributing to solving problems connected with delivering nuclear weapons, such as perfecting techniques in the Polaris missile.
Prof. Mesler said the cost and the small increase in radiation seem to be a reasonable price to pay for the scientific knowledge being gained in the test series.
PROF. MESLER SAID the cost of nuclear testing is causing controversy, but the effects of radiation seem to be causing more concern.
Prof. Moos, also favoring the test series, said it is necessary to continue testing nuclear devices in order to develop controls and "manuals telling technicians how to unscrew the upper left hand nut in an atom bomb.
"THERE ARE BIOLOGICAL and bacteriological weapons now in existence," Prof. Moos said, "which are more frightening than nuclear weapons, but nobody seems to worry about them.
"We must test because it provides us with a way to live in a technological world. Somewhere maybe the sanity of man will come through and the test results may be applied in some way to be a benefit to all."
Dutch Capture Armed Indonesians
HOLLANDIA, Dutch New Guinea — (UPI) — Dutch military headquarters here announced that 20 armed Indonesians wearing camouflage uniforms were intercepted and captured today by Dutch naval units when they attempted a landing near Fak Fak harbor.
AN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE said Dutch marines and infantrymen attacked a band of Indonesian paratroopers six miles east of Fak Fak.
had been dropped in two places in Dutch New Guinea.
The communique here contradicted an announcement in Hague that 140 Indonesian paratroopers
Authorities said the erroneous report was based on confusion over the type of places used by the Indonesians. They said the paratroopers jumped from U.S.-built B-25 bombers which were mistaken for DC3 Dakota transports.
THE COMMUNIQUE, signed by Dutch forces commander Rear Adm. Leendert Reeser, said the Indonesians captured in the abortive landing were "armed with rifles, pistols and hand grenades."
The communique said Dutch
forces were battling the Indonesian paratroopers while the landing was attempted. It said they exchanged fire "within three hours after the dropping" yesterday.
DUTCH STAFF OFFICERS in Hollandia said the Indonesian aim was to establish a beachhead which eventually will cut off the Onin peninsula, according to the Dutch defense ministry.
The New Guinea administration has stopped all civilian traffic to Fak Fak, the ministry announced.
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