THE GREAT DETERRENT

New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 927, 17 May 1957, Page 11

THE GREAT DETERRENT

Sir,-In order that we may each carry convictien that our case may be heard we must ask ourselves on what grounds individuals can press for the abandonment of nuclear weapon tests by Britain. We are agreed that some time a halt must be called to the arms race, and that the vicious circle, which depends on the argument that because other nations have the hydrogen bomb we must have it too, must be broken. And clearly now that our own nation is about to explode a nuclear weapon is the time to protest, both morally and expediently. While there is not, or can not at present be, complete agreement among scientists as to what the long-term effects of the nuclear tests will be, there is sufficient agreement to make it plain that the effects on life are bound to be deleterious: effects, due to present testing of a device whose employment in war--as a weapon-is unreal aryway. This may be met by the argument that there are things, especially in modern life, which are deleterious to health and yet which have to be put up with for the sake of our continued livelihood. The internal combustion engine pollutes the air with harmful particles and yet we cannot do without it; similarly it can be argued that the hydrogen bomb is essential for defence, It is known that cigarette smoke is a causative agent in lung cancer and that animal fats precipitate heart diseases, yet pople still go on smoking and drinking cream. However, the important point is that the decision whether or not to go on doing so is a personal one to be taken by individuals, and many individuals have decided not to expose themselves any longer to these particular agents in their daily life. Our exposure to radiation due to nuclear explosions is not a personal decision, and by protesting we are questioning the right of a government of a nation not at war to take a decision on a matter of life and death for individuals not only of its own nation, but of all nations. This is apart from the issues raised by contemplation of nuclear warfare; and it is for this reason we should press for the abolition of nuclear weapon tests by Britain. By doing so we align ourselves with those (the Japanese) who above all others, having experience of the facts of nuclear warfare, have best grounds for protesting against an action which they consider brings us all one more step nearer final disaster.

A.

PACKARD

(Auckland)