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Rampant inflation, the energy
crisis, the arms race, famine,
and overpopulation -
these
are the problems. Sorne say
only a world government can
provide the answers. But what
kind of world government
and on whose terms?
T
HE NATIONS
of the world are
"delicately poised" on the
verge of a historie era. ac–
cording to United Sta'tes Secretary
of State Henry Kissinger. "The next
decade." says Dr. Kissinger, "could
either be ... one of the great periods
of human creativity - or it could be
the beginning of extraordinary dis–
array."
In a long philosophic discussion
with veteran
New York Times
news–
man James Restan befare he left for
the Middle East on one of his many
"fi re-tigh ting" trips, Dr. Kissinger
called for a "visible and dramatic
downturn in the arms race" and a
new spirit of interdependence in or–
der to avoid uncontrollable world–
wide political, economic and social
eh
a
os.
" lf we do not get a recognition of
our interdependence," he said, " the
Western civilization that we now
have is almost certain to disinte–
grate, because it wi ll first lead to a
se ries of riva lries in which each re–
gían will try lo maximize its own
special advantages."
Such actions, asserted the Secre–
tary, would inevitably lead to tests
of strength of one son or another.
Domestic crises would be certain to
erupt in many countries with more
and more authoritarian models
emerging to try to restore order. But
in the end, st ressed Dr. Kissinger,
the world would "certainly have
crises which no leadership is able to
deal with , and probably military
confronta tions...."
PALESTINIAN
leader Yasir Arafat
speaking befare the U. N. General
Assembly last November. 19 74 saw
a trend toward dominance of the
U.N. by Third Wor/d nations.
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1975
Scorecard for 1974
World events during the past
twelve months echo Dr. Kissinger's
growing concern. By all means of
measurement, 1974 was not a ve ry
good year.
For one, the full impact of the
Mideast war of the previous autumn
began to exact ils toll. propelling
major oil-consuming nations into
double-digit inflation. The giant
gusher of wealth pouring into the
coffers of tbe Mideast oil sheikdoms
has occu rred so rapidly and is of
such magnitude that economists of
all persuasions have been unab le to
come up with workable solutions to
cope with the unprecedented situ–
ation. Meek proposals to " recycle"
the tens of billions of Arab-held
"petrodollars" back into the indus–
trial wo rld through loans and in–
vestments appear, al best, as short–
term, stop-gap measures.
The industrialized natíons appear
paralyzed, unable to halt the slide
into a deepening, worldwide reces–
sion. Sorne economic analysts fear
intensive trade conflicts could erupt
as nation after nation, seeki ng lo
right negative trade balances, at–
tempts to push exports and, at the
same time. limit lhe importation of
goods from others.
Nuclear Club Expands
During 1974 impoverished India
shocked the world with the ex–
plosion of a nuclear "device." It was
the by-product of India's own nu–
clear reactors, ostensibly built for
the genera tion of nuclear power for
"peaceful" uses. India thus joined
fellow members United States, So–
viet Union, Britain, France and
China as a member in the now not–
so-exclusive nuclear club.
The nuclear fraternity could ex–
pand some more in 1975 or soon
thereafter.ln December, Israelí Pres–
iden! Ephraim Katzir told the world
what everyone already knew: that
Isra el " has the potential" to make
atom ic weapons "and if we need it
we'll do
it."
Thus for the first time
official confirmation was given to
speculation that the tiny Jewish
state is ready to produce - and
some insiders believe already may
have produced - nuclear arms.
With U.S. promises of "peaceful"
nuclear assistance to Egyp t, also
made during 1974, the seeds of far
greater future confticts in the
Middle East have been sown. Un–
less the Midd le East " time bomb" is
diffused, said U.S. Senator
J.
W.
Fulbrighl in a major add ress in No–
vember, the world could see a new
war, a renewed oil boycott, and pos–
sibly "consequences there ranging
from another Great Depression to
Armageddon itself."
Arms Limit -
On
Escalation?
At the tai l end of the year. the
two nuclear superpowers, the
United States and the Soviet Union,
reportedly engineered a " break–
through" on arms control.
The mild euphoria of the Vladi–
vostok summit between Presiden!
Ford and Generai-Secretary Brezhnev
quickly dissipated once the details of
the "arms ceiling" became known. lf
anything, lhe arms race will only be
slowed to a brisk trot, more easily
affordable by the str ained economies
of both protagonists.
Restraints were agreed to on the
number of delivery vehicles (mis–
siles or manned bombers). But no
restrictions were placed on replacing
existing rnissiles (or planes) with
more advanced types.
The Vladivostok agreement also
took no effective measures toward
controlling the development and de–
ployment of MIRVed rnissiles (rnis–
siles with multiple warheads which
can be independently aimed at sep–
arate targets).
Each side was to be permitted
1,320 MIRVed missiles. But since
the Soviets do not yet have any op–
erational MIRVs, the agreement
wou ld permit them to proceed with
a very large (but also costly) program.
According to a former official of
the U.S. Arms Control and Dis–
armament Agency. the "ceihngs"
reached at Vladivostok were "set so
high as to be almost meaningless ."
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