Letter from Washington

The President will seek Senate approval of two agreements — separate ones for offensive and defensive weapons—resulting from the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union. If Congress approves them, Soviet supremacy will be formalized; indeed, it will be the law of the land. The secrecy surrounding SALT has been tight, but it seems certain that the agreements will involve American acceptance of Soviet numerical superiority in strategic weapons. The rationale one hears is that the President is convinced Congress—the Senate, really—will no longer permit us to run an arms race. Hence we must act now to get whatever deal we can; our bargaining position can only get worse in the years ahead.

Already the fears about U.S. concessions in the SALT agreements have fueled speculation regarding three members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Until now conservative Republicans like Goldwater and Tower (both of Armed Services) have argued that Republicans must support the President because “the alternative is worse.” And as McGovern becomes the likely alternative, the Goldwater-Tower argument seems to be reinforced. But some persons believe conservative Republicans might be liberated by a McGovern candidacy. After all, they argue, if McGovern is nominated, Nixon could win in a waltz, so it will be possible to attack a Nixon policy—even an important one—without risking a Democratic victory.

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Presidential Election

The President will seek Senate approval of two agreements — separate ones for offensive and defensive weapons—resulting from the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union. If Congress approves them, Soviet supremacy will be formalized; indeed, it will be the law of the land. The secrecy surrounding SALT has been tight, but it seems certain that the agreements will involve American acceptance of Soviet numerical superiority in strategic weapons. The rationale one hears is that the President is convinced Congress—the Senate, really—will no longer permit us to run an arms race. Hence we must act now to get whatever deal we can; our bargaining position can only get worse in the years ahead.

Already the fears about U.S. concessions in the SALT agreements have fueled speculation regarding three members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Until now conservative Republicans like Goldwater and Tower (both of Armed Services) have argued that Republicans must support the President because “the alternative is worse.” And as McGovern becomes the likely alternative, the Goldwater-Tower argument seems to be reinforced. But some persons believe conservative Republicans might be liberated by a McGovern candidacy. After all, they argue, if McGovern is nominated, Nixon could win in a waltz, so it will be possible to attack a Nixon policy—even an important one—without risking a Democratic victory.