204 



The response to the second joint proposal formed a part of the Presi- 

 dent's speech at The American University, June 10. This speech was 

 retjarded at the time as somethino; of a milestone in Soviet- American 

 relations. It was widely acclaimed in the United States as an enlight- 

 ened attempt toward the construction of a viable world. It was credited 

 with breaking the tense relations between the United States and the 

 Soviet Union out of the frozen mold of intransigence.^" It was "printed 

 in full in both Pravda and Isvestiya and evoked enthusiastic reactions 

 from Soviet citizens in all walks of life." ^^ It was the subject of a 

 lengthy intei-view by the editors of Pravda and Isvestiya with Premiei' 

 Khrushchev.^- According to John McNaughton, Assistant Secretary of 

 Defense for International Security Affairs, the "speech at American 

 University was really the thing that opened the door to agreement, as 

 I see it."^^ In it the President addressed himself to the immediate 

 question of the test ban negotiations. It was one major area "where the 

 end is in sight — yet where a fresh start is badly needed * * *." He 

 then announced that "high-level discussions will shortly begin in Mos- 

 cow looking toward early agreement on a comprehensive test ban 

 treaty.'' And also : that the United States would not conduct nuclear 

 tests "in the atmosphere so long as other states did not do so. Here, too, 

 he called for a realistic attitude. No treaty, he said : 



However much it may be to the advantage of all, however tightly it may be 

 worded, can provide absolute security against the risks of deception and eva- 

 sion. But it can — if it is sufficiently effective in its enforcement and if it is suf- 

 ficiently in the interests of its signers — offer far more security and far fewer 

 risks than an unabated, uncontrolled, unpredictable arms race." 



Guidelines for tlie treaty negotiations 



The process of negotiation needed to be conducted in such a way and 

 to produce such a result as to maximize support in the Senate for 

 the product. The President hoped to negotiate a comprehensive test 

 ban agreement. However, this ambition ran counter to a Senate draft 

 resolution, introduced just 2 weeks before the President's American 

 University speech by Senator Dodd, with Senator Humphrey, and co- 

 sponsored by 26 Democratic and six Republican Senators (34 in all).°^ 

 The Dodd resolution, after taking note of the danger of radioactive 

 fallout, the failure to achieve a satisfactorv treatv banning tests in all 

 environments, and the technical and political difficulties of achieving a 

 comprehensive test ban treaty, stated — 



That it is the sense of the Senate that the TTnited States should again offer 

 the Soviet Union an immediate agreement banning all tests that contaminate the 

 atmosphere or the oceans, bearing in mind that such tests can already be mon- 

 itored by the United States without onsite inspections on Soviet territory * * *.°" 



No Senate action was taken on this resolution. However, its consider- 

 able sponsorship showed that a comprehensive test ban without satis- 



5" Richard P. Stebbins, "The Uniterl States in World Affairs, 19(53," Council on Forei^ 

 Relations (New York, Harper & Row, 1964). p. 2.5. 



" Urle Bronfenbrenner, "Allowing for Soviet Perceptions," International Conflict and 

 Behavioral Science, editor Roger Fisher (New Yorli, Basic BooIjs, Inc., 1964), p. 176. 



" "Documents on Disarmament. 196.3," p. 222. 



"^ Interview with the author. July 1.5. 1964. 



""Remarks of the President at American I'niversity. Wnshinpton. D.C.. .Tune 10. 196''.." 

 Office of the White House Press Secretary (as actunlly delivered). 7 pp. minipofrrn plied. 



5' Of these, the late Senator Estes Kefauver (Democrat, of Tennessee), died suddenly 

 during the summer, the late Senator Clair Enjrle (Democrat, of California), was incapaci- 

 tated by a stroke and was unable to vote, and Senator Frank J. Lausche (Democrat, of 

 Ohio), after cosponsorin;? the resolution, and later a^eeins: to report the treaty itself out 

 of the Foreig'n Relations Committee without amendment or reservation, apparently had a 

 chanpe of heart and voted against final Senate approval of the treaty. 



*« Mimeographed text supplied by Senator Dodd's office. 



