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Back in 1946, Mao Tse-tung
told an American reporter that’
**the atomic bomb is a paper tiger
used by the U.S. reactionaries to
scare people:

In 1965, however, the chairman
changed his mind. In a conversa-
tion with a French novelist,
André Malraux, who was minis-
ter of cultural affairs under
General Charles de Gaulle, Mao
said: ‘‘I want to have only half a
dozen atomic bombs.”’

Noting these facts recently,
Soviet commentator Nikolai
Obotov observed that Mao’s
***790° now has a far greater
number of such ‘paper tigers’’’.
According to assessments by
Western experts,’’ notes Obotov,
‘*the Chinese stockpile of nuclear
weapons today adds to up 200 to
300 units.”’

As Obotov puts it: ‘* According
to a Hsinhua (Chinese news
agency) report, following ‘a
serious study of recently-
published radiant verses of the
great leader, Mao Tse-tung, a
new nuclear test was successfully

. 99

carried out’.

Strontium-90 — A Killer

‘*Tt was the 18th test since 1964,
when China joined the ‘nuclear
club’, the second in less than
three months, and the 16th in the
atmosphere,’’ Obotov reports,
adding the following:

“It was established by scien-
tists back in the fifties that notice-
able radioactive pollution of our
planet was caused precisely by
test detonations of nuclear
devices. There appeared on the
earth’s surface strontium-90,
carbon-14, cesium-137 and other
radioactive substances which vir-
tually were non-existent in
nature.

“*It was also proved that radio-
active fall-out could greatly and
even irreparably damage the
health of people; and especially,
cause bone cancer and leukemia.
Linus Pauling, the U.S. scientist
and Nobel Prize winner, who
over many years made a special
study of the effect of radioactive
substances on the human organ-
ism, compared strontium-90 to a
poison, a teaspoonful of which,
evenly distributed among all
people in the world, would cause
their death in the course of several
years.” :

Obotov’s article continues:

‘Peking is also working on
nuclear weapons delivery system
— aviation, and land- and sea-
launched missiles. As testified to
by the Western press, China has
already deployed long-range
(about 3,500 miles) missiles on

launching sites. The experts be-

lieve that.in the coming five years

. the country will have 40-50 inter-

continental ballistic missles.”’

Asked Complete Ban

The Soviet Union was the first
of nuclear states to call for a halt
to all nuclear weapon test detona-
tions. Only after it grew clear that __
the Western countries would not
agree to such an all-embracing
ban, the Soviet Government ex-
pressed its readiness to conclude
a partial agreement, which would
put an end to explosions spelling
the greatest damage in connection
with contamination of the envi-
ronment with lethal radioactivity.

In 1963, with the most active
participation of the Soviet Union,
a treaty was concluded in Mos-
cow banning nuclear weapon
tests in the atmosphere, outer.
space, and under water. In 1974,
in the course of the Soviet-U.S.
summit talks in Moscow, a treaty
was signed between the two coun-
tries on the limitation of under-
ground nuclear weapon tests.

Proceeding from the task of a
complete and universal ban on
nuclear weapon tests, the Soviet
Union drew up a projected inter-
national treaty, which was sub-
mitted for examination by the
30th session of the United Na-
tions General Assembly.

Ninety-four delegations voted
for the Soviet proposal, while
Peking’s representatives raised
objection.

Winds of Death

Hsinhua vainly claims that
nuclear tests are held solely for
reasons of defence, and that a
more distant task is that of “‘des-
troying nuclear arms’’. The
Chinese leadership’s persistent
efforts to convince the world of
the existence of a Soviet military
threat, and the construction of
underground shelters in all cities,
which are willingly shown to
foreign visitors, pursure the ob-
ject of concealing the true
intentions.

Rejecting any limitation of their
military preparations, the
Chinese leaders are building up
their military potential, especially
their nuclear-missile potential.
Peking needs it, above all, for re-
inforcing its expansionist aspira-
tions. Chinese missiles with their
lethal load — taking into con-
sideration their present-day
tactical and technical perfor-
mance, and also China’s terri-
torial claims — can tomorrow be
launched in the direction of any
Asian city.

They provide Peking today
with unlimited possibilities for
nuclear blackmail and political
bargaining in dialogues with de-
veloping countries.

On account of the caprices of
nature — Monsoons and trade-
wings blowing in southeast Asia
at this time of the year — China’s

Asia neighbors have every reason .

on this occasion to express fear
over their own health and the
health of their children. But in
what direction will the winds
blow the ominous mushroom-
shaped cloud from the Chinese
testing ground the next time when
Peking feels that the moment has
arrived to explode another
A-bomb?

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 12, 1976—Page 6

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[AT SOVIET COMMUNIST CONGRESS

ne

_ Aim is to eliminate

MOSCOW — ‘The main feature
of the Soviet policy toward the
capitalist states has always been
the struggle for the establishment
of the principles of peaceful co-
existence, for a lasting peace and
for the lessening and, in the long
term, the elimination of the threat
of a new. world war,’’ Leonid
Brezhnev told the 25th Congress of
the Communist Party of the Soviet
Union (CPSU) meeting here.

The CPSU’s general secretary
said that ‘‘substantial progress
has been made in the area in the
last five years. He noted that the
peace program advanced by the
previous Party Congress had
charted ‘‘a realistic way of ending
the cold war and of replacing the
threat of war by peaceful co-
existence.”

He dealt with developments
toward relaxation of tensions in
Europe, with Soviet-U.S. rela-
tions, which he said were ‘‘de-
veloping favorably,’’ and with the
continued Soviet struggle for an
end to the arms race. In proposing
a 10-part program for peace, free-
dom and independence of na-
tions, Brezhnev called the 10 pro-
visions ‘‘a logical and necessary
continuation of the peace prog-
ram outlined five years ‘ago.

Revolutionary Process

_ The Soviet Communist leader
spoke about the development of
the revolutionary process
throughout the world, of
capitalism’s economic, ideologi-
cal and political crises, and of the
urgent need for international sol-
idarity to compel the freeing of
political prisoners of fascism, as
in Chile. :

Emphasizing the importance of
proletarian internationalism, he
suggested that a monument be
built in Moscow ‘in memory of
the heroes of the world Com-
munist movement who lost their
lives at the hands of their class
enemies.”

“We should like to lay special
emphasis on the importance of
proletarian internationalism in
our time,’’ Brezhnev said at
another point in his report. “‘It is
one of the main principles of
Marxism-Leninism. Unfortunate-
ly, some have begun to interpret it
in a way that, in effect, little is left
of internationalism. There are
even people who openly suggest
renouncing internationalism. In
their opinion the internationalism
substantiated and promoted by
Marx and Lenin is outmoded. But
as we see it to renounce proleta-
rian internationalism is to deprive
Communist Parties and the
working-class movement in gen-
eral of a mighty and tested
weapon. It would work in favor of
the class enemy who, by the way,
actively co-ordinates  anti-
Communist activity on an inter-
national scale.’

The Soviet Economy

On the .domestic front, said
Brezhnev, the now-ended ninth
five-year plan had been a ‘‘major
stride ... for the creation of the
material and technical base of
communism, for raising the stan-
dard of living of the people, and
enhancing the country’s defence
capacity.

The Soviet leader defined five
key problems to be solved in
achieving development goals of
the Soviet economy in the 1976-
80, five-year plan:

e Acceleration of scientific

and technological progress

e Further advancement of ag-

riculture as a national task

e Increase in the production of

consumer goods

e Improvement of commerce

and better communal services

for the population.

e Development of foreign

economic relations.

e The raising of the standard

of economic management and

economic machinery to meet

"15,700,000, Brezhnev pointed

the new requirements.

While critical of ‘‘shortcomll
in the work of a number of en
prises,’ Brezhnev foresaW
‘steady rise in the material 4
dard and cultural level of §
people,” with prices stable (4
prices of individual commodll
will be reduced when possiblé:je=
and average wage increases ol
to 18% for workers, and 24 to
for collective farmers.’ Payme¢)
from the public consump,
funds to the population will g0
by 28 to 30% — towards free™ _
days, etc. ig

Builders of Communism 9 _
Speaking of the Commu
Party itself, with a membersh

that other mass organizations
the first place the trade unl
(membership — 107,000,0
and the Young Commu
League (35,000,000 yo!
people), are part and parcel of
Soviet political system.’’ Ide0
ical education of the people?
major element of the Pall
work, he said, preparing the
be builders of communism.

He said the new Soviet |
stitution, now in draft, wi
‘‘confirm and precisely define
supreme goal of the Soviet ¥
— the building of a comm#
society.”’ q

At other points in his rep@
the Congress, Leonid Brezi
praised the advances of,
socialist community and saié
Soviet Communist Party “#
primary: attention to ~
strengthening of unity and
round cooperation with Whe
socialist states.” “9

Speaking of relations with U t
na, he pointed out that ‘“‘the p®yey
of China’s present: leaden,
openly aimed against the maj@/Sk
of socialist states and ditt
links up with the position 9
treme reaction throughout)
world. The policy of P#
aimed at provoking a world
deeply at variance with thé
terests of all peoples. j

Struggle Against Maoisi®
“The Soviet Union,:’ he?
‘‘will continue to wage a P»
pled and uncompromising &
gle against Maoism in the
as well. If Peking takes the 1
cooperation and solidarity |
the socialist world, this will
an appropriate response fro™
side,’’ Brezhnev said, ‘and
up the possibility for thé
velopment of good relatiom™
tween the USSR and the Pe?
Republic of China. It is up!
Chinese side.”
He said that ties with &®
veloping countries have nob
expanded and grown stfo
but the USSR ‘‘fully supp?
legitimate aspirations of |
young states and their detel™
tion to free themselves “9
pletely from imperialist exp! ng
tion.”