BERLIN @

“ROME

How Bonn is blocking

efforts to limit
nuclear arms spread

By MAX REICH
Tribune Staff Correspondent
BERLIN
GREEMENT is said to have
been reached between the
USA and the USSR on a
non-proliferation treaty.

A non-proliferation agree-
ment would not cure all nuclear
ills, since it would still leave
A-arms in the. possession of
such countries as currently have
them: the USA, USSR, Britain,
France and China. But by pre-
venting other countries from
obtaining nuclear weapons
through their own effort or
through other countries, it could
at least prevent situation from
becoming worse, and from pos-
sibly getting out of hand.

In particular, a non-prolifera-
tion agreement would put an
end to West German nuclear
ambitions. West Germany nu-
clear appetites had much to do
in isolating West Germany even
from its own NATO allies. Just
imagine the possibility of a new
Hitler — “the womb that bore
the old one is fertile yet,” to
use a phrase of Berthold Brecht
— with A-arms at his disposal.
It is enough to give anybody
the jitters.

In saying this, I am not im-
plying that all West Germans
are dangerous maniacs. There
are millions of people in West
Germany who are as honest and
decent and peaceful as people
anywhere, who are anti-nazi and
trustworthy, who do not want
to have anything to do with nu-
clear arms. These people include
millions of trade unionists, mem-

bers and leaders alike. They in-
clude the flower of West Ger-
many’s culture and intellectual
life: poets, writers and artists,
among them the most outstand-
ing in West Germany. They in-
clude university professors and
scientists, the bulk of the stu-
dents, hundreds of churchmen,
among them such leaders as
Martin Niemoeller.

As for those who clamor for
the atom bomb, they are the
most dangerous people in the
world: the generals and officers,
raised in the traditions of Ger-
man militarism, the industrial-

ists and monopolists to whom”

wars and their preparation is
one big bonanza of profits, and
the politicians who serve them.
* * x

West Germany had managed
to isolate itself from the world.
Bonn kad to break out of this
isolation. And since an agree-

ment between the USA and the

USSR on preventing the fur-
ther spread of nuclear arms
seemed remote, it had become
the fashion in Bonn to put on a
front of relaxation at every of-
ficial function.

Suddenly the unexpected hap-
pened. Moscow and Washing-
ton appeared to be near agree-
ment on a_ non-proliferation
treaty. For Bonn, the carnival
was over.

Now Bonn is putting the most
massive pressure on Washing-
ton to scuttle the non-prolifera-
tion treaty before it even sees
the light of the world.

* * *
The arguments are manifold

political, military, economic,
even moral. (One ‘‘moral” argu-
ment: Rather than concentrate
on the nuclear havenots, the nu-
clear giants should do some-
thing to. destroy their own dan-
gerous H-arms.) The methods
run from bribery to blackmail:
Britain is threatened with being
permanently barred from the
European Economic Commu-
nity if she joins in a non-proli-
feration agreement.

Bilateral talks are _ plan-
ned with various countries,
to point out to them the dan-
gers of a treaty to each coun-
try. Canada is prominent on
Bonn’s list for such bilateral
talks.

The “economic” argument
used is that the treaty would
cripple the industrial develop-
ment of the non nuclear nations.
Some industrialists even paint

the picture of a West Germany’

reverting to a primitive agrar-
ian society. The international
control system required for the
treaty, they say, would put Eu-
rope at the mercy of Russia, not
only politically and militarily
but industrially too. The two
giants, the USA and Russia, and
particularly Russia, would hold
Sway over a world of depend-
ant slave nations. (How Chi-
nese this German sounds, of a
USA-SU conspiracy to share the
world.)

Every resentment is being
and will be utilized and mobil-
ized toward the “noble” aim of
keeping the door open for dis-
posal over nuclear weapons by
the West German army.

LONDON

“Just a lively Y.C.L. lad.”
That's how his friends des-
cribe Young Communist
Tony Bloom, who was struck
down by a bullet outside the
Dolphin public house in Lon-
don, England, on Jan. 29.

_Tony, who is 23, lives with
his parents in a council flat
in the London suburb of
Lambeth.

A member of the Young
Communist League for five
‘years, Tony works as a mes-
senger at the Sun newspaper.
He is Lambeth branch treas-
urer of the Y.C.L., a chapel
official of his union and an
active supporter of the Cam-
paign for Nuclear Disarma-
ment.

His friends describe him
as an easy-going popular lad
—outside politics he likes his

Young Communist in London
shot at by nazi hoodlums

pints, and he likes to raise
his voice and have a sing
song.

On the Sunday night he
was shot, he had been in the
Dolphin pub with a group of
his comradés. The nazi salute
is said to have been used in
the pub by several people. It
was shortly after closing time
as the group, including Tony,
was standing around outside
that several shots were fired
into the group from a van.

It is considered not at all
a concidence that Bloom a
known Communist, was the
only one hit.

The bullet struck Bloom in
the stomach and punctured
the spleen, just below the
heart. He was taken to hos-
pital where he underwent
surgery and the bullet was
removed.

him, which will
March 2.

In connection with the
shooting, three men were ar-
rested. Ronald Thielemans
has been charged with at-
tempted murder; Arthur
Smith and Edward Groves
have been charged with ille-
gal possession of fire arms
and huge amounts of ammu-
nition. Between the two, they
have stored 21 guns of differ-
ent kinds and nearly 1,000
rounds of ammunition.

Tony Bloom is out of hos-
pital now, fully recovered.
The London and district YCL
members are taking up a col-
lection for him, to possibly
give him a holiday. He is in
good shape now and will be
able to appear at the trial of
those charged with wounding
open on

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“Fifi, you naughty dog, come out of there at once!”

es | yey 1
aia” A PETRIE NOE

around the wor

SO
on

THE POLICE department of London, England, has pM?
ally accepted the first Negro recruit to that force. The 21 sts
West Indian has passed his physical and educational t€ iC
his hiring has not been confirmed . . . North Vietnam's f
Minister General Giap has pledged to strengthen militant 5°
with the Soviet Union. He also expressed sincere thanks fd"
aid in the Vietnam war.

* * * dat

HUNGARY'S Socialist Workers Party leader, Janos Kat),
indicated his country would like to establish diplomatic
with West Germany. “If West Germany really intends
its relations with the European socialist countries,” he wh
must take steps that testify to a determined break with eve
of revanchist aspiration . . . this also applies to the recom
of the German Democratic Republic.” ... Red Flag, official
of the Chinese Communist Party, seems to be worried abd
Red Guards getting carried away. Said the journal: “Red h
should not purge all officials indiscriminately.” Officials ¥
made mistakes could still be given posts, so long as they ce
their errors and came over to Chairman Mao’s side.

* * *

BIRCHITES LED a demonstration outside an interfaith!
meeting in Detroit where Rabbi Richard Hertz was spe4
over 700 Catholics, Protestants, and Jews ... “End the bom
was urged in a letter to President L. B. Johnson signe
members of the faculty of Yale, and 293 members of the
faculty sent a similar letter.

* * *

SOUTH AFRICA refuses visiting sports teams to hav
members. Two Cape Town-newspapers say this must cha ob
South Africa’s chances in international sports will be ru
there is any choice between sports and politics, the nal 4
government knows which is going to win — and its not SP
sportsmanship . . . North Korea news agency stated that oy
of a ‘“‘coup” in that country were completely groundless. The
the rumors were started by Red Guard posters in Peking
added “such propaganda is an absolute fabrication.”

* * * fi

NATIONALIZATION of banks has been announced I” |
zania, and more nationalization moves can be expected 50.
Poland has protested treatment of her officials in Chin pH
carrying the Polish ambassador in Peking was daubed Wil iy
and covered with anti-Soviet placards ... A neo-nazi wit (i
seat in the Bavarian state parliament says one quarter of a 4
man army will vote for the National Democratic Party in 1
election of 1969.

col
oA |

* * *
WHEN JAYNE MANSFIELD arrived in Saigon to &
U.S. troops, she said she would also like to sing for thé
Cong.”’ The actress said, “I would do almost anything t :
world peace . . . because I believe war is a foolish, childish. #
istic, unthinking, unintelligent way of trying to accompli
pose.” . . . Negroes make up about 11 percent of the tO™ ig
fighting force in South Vietnam, but accounted for 17.8 iy (Hh
of the combat deaths in 11 months of 1966. This mean nu
Negoes were being killed at a rate of about 60 percent hig L
other races.

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is
otal
|

4

* * * ff
MORE THAN 100 demonstrators barricaded the road "4
sident Johnson’s ranch, in protest against the Vietnam war wall
carried signs reading ‘“‘Mini-truces are not enough,” and ise!
Good Business — Invest Your Son.” . .. Pensions were BS He
Rumania as of Jan. 1. Lower pensions were raised to brine jy
more into line with the average. The retirement age waS
to 62 for men and 57 for women. ’ a
pos!

March 10, 1967—PACIFIC TRIBUNE~