October 23, 1964

Impossible For One Man to Start Atom War

Whose finger should be on the atom bomb trigger, you ask?

If it is EITHER Johnson or Goldwater then we're heading for the nearest underground shelter.

Military experts agree that the next all-out war will start with massive surprise atomic attacks on the Capital at Washington. D.C. and the Strategic Air Command missile sites at Omaha, Neb

Should the occupants of the White House and Pentagon be vaporized in the first blow, as is likely, then who will fire the retaliating missiles to protect us from subsequent salvos?

The obvious and truthful answer is that there are several alternate commanders entrusted with the so called "Go Code."  Neither the president nor any other one man by himself can fire an atomic weapon. Such a monopoly suggested by Lyndon Johnson's flat assertion he alone can initiate a nuclear strike would be most dangerous indeed.

We would be worried if Goldwater by his election gained an opportunity to send a 500-megaton warhead winging to Moscow any time he felt devilish. But we would be down-right scared if Johnson had such a right as he claims. Johnson's personal fuse is considered the shortest in Washington.

Fortunately, no one man has — or can have -- his finger on the A-trigger.

The precautions against accidental or impulsive launching of a nuclear missile are so elaborate as to render them cumbersome --- perhaps even useless from a military point of view. Control is vested in various "committees."

The charges of nuclear irresponsibility against Goldwater are as phony as that of extremism. Both candidates are guilty, in our opinion, in letting the arguments over this irrelevant matter overshadow the real issues.

It all started back before either candidate had been nominated by his party.

Goldwater, in an off-hand remark, allowed as to how the U.S. should use atomic weapons in wars afield as well as in defense of the homeland.

In an equally unthinking retort,. Johnson yelled "warmonger" and avowed that only the Great White Father should have his thumb on the big button.

Before you could say "spit in your eye," Goldwater and Johnson were defending positions- on the question each knew to be groundless.

Both men know full well that strategic nuclear weapons are controlled by elaborate committee arrangements, but that NATO commanders have permission to use tactical weapons under surprise atomic attack by the Communists.

We suspect that Goldwater was jockeying for a political advantage in suggesting something already authorized by Presidents Eisenhower: and Kennedy but little publicized.

It. is generally agreed by Washington observers that Johnson's defensive reaction was so effective in clobbering his opponent that he kept it up even though it was patently untrue.

Complicating this nuclear mishmash is a program whereby physical locks similar to those on strategic weapons are being put on three of our six tactical weapons deployed in Europe.  These locks are activated by a combination of electronic signals and mechanical gears.  The electronic signals would be supplied by persons unknown in Washington D.C., the mechanical key by field commanders.

Our NATO allies, already suspicious of our intentions and doubtful of our resolve, have become greatly alarmed by Johnson's foolish statement about nuclear responsibility. They joined the alliance reluctantly only after assurances they would have a voice in atomic defense. Half were afraid we would involve them in a nuclear war impulsively and the other half were afraid we wouldn't use our atomic weapons in response to a Communist aggression. Johnson's claim that only he can be trusted with the decision confirms the fears of both groups.

Loose talk used to sink ships. Today it destroys alliances.

It is discouraging that the average American voter has been so influenced by this nuclear sideshow that he will choose a President of the United States on the strength of it

Why, oh why, can't the candidates be kept to truly important issues? So much time, energy and thought is wasted on known lies.

There was no "missile gap," "Eisenhower recession," or ''bad image," in the last presidential election.. There is no one sided extremism," "nuclear irresponsibility," or "personal profit" problems in this election.

It is reassuring that Goldwater, if elected, can not start an atomic war. It is equally reassuring that Johnson, if elected, can not hamstring our defenses.

America has never started a war.

America has won every war started against it.

America is bigger than any one man.

Author: Lindsey Williams