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Show Len Ackland Salt nkt Sfibniu Monday Morning, June 30, 1980 Section A Page 16 1 New Qualifications for Leader Would Boost FAAs Merits The Federal Aviation Administra- tion has been given a long, hard look and came up wanting. A special panel, appointed about a year ago after the disastrous crash of a DC-1- 0 at Chicago that claimed 237 lives, found an inadequate level of technical competence in the agency, along with a need to upgrade the system for certifying airliners as being safe to fly. The study, done by a National Research Council committee under the chairmanship of George Low, president of Rensselar Polytechnic Institute, acknowledges the airlines have had an excellent safety record but realistically cautions this is not necessarily a good predictor of continued safety. One specific fault of the FAA the panel found is of particular significance. The committee says the agency needs continuity of highly competent, dynamic leadership with terms of sufficient duration to provide stability and continuity. While careful to not criticize the The committee recommends that in the future the president select the FAA administrator, along with his deputy, from a list of highly competent, dynamic candidates submitted by a Transportation Department policy board, or a similar group of experts. Also, that strong consideration be given to the reappointment of these two officials. These recommendations should not be taken lightly; they have considerable merit. Particularly so, considering that it takes several years, from concept to operational certification, to produce new commercial airliners. A federal aviation administrator who was, initially, competent in and conversant with the problems of building airplanes and, secondly, able to oversee the development of new airliners from drawing board to airline service would bode well for the safety of the flying public. As now constituted appointment of the head of the FAA is a piece of political patronage handed out to a current administrator, Langhome party faithful as a reward for good Bond, the Low Committee pointed out and faithful service. The public has there have been five FAA adminisno assurance he or she even knows trators in the past 10 years. A quick what end of an airplane leaves the check of Whos Who reveals that at ground first. least three of those five were appointed to the post without previous Requiring the administrator of the FAA of two and FAA be a in the experience high competent, them had had no experience in the dynamic person would be a major, aviation or airline industry prior to and nearly automatic, step toward their FAA service, although these two assuring that the level of technical did have service as military aviators. competence of the FAA would be None of the three had any formal elevated and the process of certifying training as engineers, nor in a the safety and efficacy of new scientific discipline. aircraft would be greatly improved. Nuclear Accident Getting More Likely Chicago Tribune The three nuclear war alarms falsely triggered by computer errors last November and earlier this month didn't take us to the brink of nuclear holocaust, but they did bring deadly serious issues into public view. "The alerts are warning signals in the broad sense that nuclear war is not far off . . . if we keep moving down the road were on," says Herbert Scoville, former deputy director of research for the Central Intelligence Agency and now president of the Arms Control Association. Already, that treacherous road of superpower confrontation has brought mankind to the point where the world as we know it is just hours away from destruction at any given time. The grisly toll of a nuclear war would result in an estimated 100 million dead in the Soviet Union, while a recent congressional study put American deaths at 165 million. Radioactive clouds comparable to scores of Mt. St. Helenss eruptions would then spread their poisonous cargo over the earths surface. Most of us dont think of ourselves as potential victims, just as we never consider that family or friends will be among those car accident deaths projected for the Fourth of July weekend. Nuclear war seems inconceivable, unthinkable. Steady Drift Toward War Yet there is a steady drift toward just such a which could be caused by a conscious war decision, by errors in the increasingly complex military systems, or by misinterpretations of an adversarys actions and intentions. Technology, and the way that people blindly are letting it take control of their fate, is the central element in this drift. The dangers are graphically illustrated by the recent nuclear war false alarms. Last Nov. 9, U.S. defense forces were alerted to a Soviet missile attack after a malfunction in an early warning system computer in Colorado sent signals from a test war game tape into the Defense Departments computer network. Before the alert was cancelled, 10 jet fighters were ordered into the air and the military was one minute away from informing President Carter of an attack. The false alarms on June 3 and June 6 were caused by the failure of a computer system component about the size of a dime and worth 46 cents. Pentagon officials said last week Each of the June alerts lasted about three minutes, before the errors were discovered. Although the computer errors caused widespread concern, no knowledgeable observers suggested that the U.S. was close to starting World War III. To stress that the current system of checks and balances works, military sources said that during the last year about 50 alerts occurred in response to missile test firings by the Soviet Union. However, under a new strategic doctrine gaining some support among defense establish te ment and think-tan- k the false experts, alarms could have triggered nuclear war. The doctrine is called launch on warning, and is defined by the Air Force as a launch of nuclear missiles m response to indications by satellites, radar, or other sensors that the continental U.S. is under attack. Its slightly more sophisticated sister is known as launch under attack, and calls for U.S. missiles to be launched after a determination by sensors and computers that the country is under attack. would rest on the Launch on warning absolute certainty that the defense system machines are sending out accurate information. The false alarms show how ridiculous the launch on warning policy would be, said Rep. Richard Ichord, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. The U.S. strategic policy has long been to deter attack by assuring adversaries that they would be destroyed by this countrys nuclear retaliatory forces consisting of a triad of land missiles, submarine missiles and bombers. (The U.S. strategic arsenal consists of more thn 9,200 nuclear weapons, and the Soviet Union has 6,000.) Even without a major shift in that strategic doctrine, which has been made more flexible" by Defense Secretary Harold Brown, the time required to discover the recent false alarms poses problems for the near future. Flight Times Involved The duration of the November of alert is estimated to be one-hato the time it would take Soviet submarine-base- d missiles to reach targets in the U.S., and h to of the flight time of missiles based inside the Soviet Union. But technological improvements in depressed trajectory missiles now being developed are expected to significantly slash that flight time. Hopes are dim that the third round in the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the U.S. and Soviet Union will even begin anytime soon. The SALT II treaty, signed in Vienna a hear ago this month, was withdrawn by President Cart er from the Senate agenda in January because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Although Secretary of State Edmund Muskie recently indicated that the administration will again push for Senate ratification of SALT II, it is given little chance of success given the rhetoric spawned by this election year. lf one-fift- two-thir- one-four- th flag-wavi- The arms race, which had been slowed somewhat by SALT I and II, threatens again to escalate. Defense Secretary Brown warned Congress earlier this year that technological improvements in Soviet missiles can be seen as a concerted effort to take away the effectiveness of our second-strik- e (retaliatory) forces. Sea Mining Deadline When delegates assemble July 28 in Geneva for another round of negotiations on a Law of the Sea Treaty, they could face an American-impose- d deadline for affirmative action. Previous sessions produced a minimum of agreement on basic issues. Among the most controversial is mining of the seabed. Poorer nations without ability to extract minerals from the oceans insist that all such mining be carried out under international auspices and control and that the wealth be generously shared. The United States and some other advanced countries prefer a treaty that would permit mining under international supervision by both private firms and a United Nations agency representing the interests of countries not mining on their own. Under increasing pressure from American mining firms and because of the growing need for vital metals in short supply in the United States, Congress is about to pass legislation that would authorize American firms to begin mining by 1988 whether or not a Law of the Sea Treaty is finally written and ratified. Although the United States voted for a 1970 United Nations General Assembly resolution that declared the resources of the oceans to be the common heritage of mankind, the pending congressional action is defended under a prior doctrine, freedom of the high seas. The American position is a compromise. Gone are the days when the strong took what they liked without regard for the weak. Yet to dawn is the day when advanced nations are willing to share equally with tech- At the same time, U.S. improvements in its Minateman III missiles, that are being fitted with new guidance systems and warheads, and plans for the mobile MX missile system, look to e . weapons, the Soviets like U.S. according to some experts. The Soviets cant help but think were preparing for a first strike, said Scoville, who has been a harsh critic of the MX program. (Copyright) first-strik- Patrick J. Buchanan Little Party, Big Stakes PJB Enterprises WASHINGTON Recently a trio of leaders from New Yorks tiny Liberal Party handed the President of membership 67,000 the United States a nine-pag- e political ul- timatum. We cannot accept liberate recession deac- companied by increasing unemployment as a means of controlling inWe cannot go flation along with the drift of your administration toward conservatism. This is not time for a return to the economics of Herbert Hoover. The reason: In 1980, New Yorks Liberal objectionable is not sufficient reason for our endorsing your candidacy. One would expect a strong Democratic president like F.D.R. to explain to the liberals in some detail what they might do with letter demands. But Carter is not a strong President, he politely directed his chief domestic adviser, Stu Eizenstat, to make a response to the Liberal leaders demands. Biggest Little Party The reason: In 1980, New Yorks Liberal Party with the fifth line on the ballot is the Biggest Little Party in America. Conceivably, its endorsement could decide the outcome of the presidential election. How so? Well, consider this: If the Liberal Party breaks with its tradition of endorsing the Democratic nominee, and puts John Anderson cr. the New York State presidential ballot, Anderson will siphon off hundreds of thousands of votes, almost all of which might otherwise go to the President. With Reagan on both the Republican and conservative lines, the votes drained off by John B. could cost Jimmy Carter New York in November, and with it the election. (In 1976, Carter won New York by fewer than 200,000 votes, had he lost it, Gerald Ford would be president.) Equally important, if Andrerson gets the Liberal Party nod, it will give his candidacy a national credibility and momentum it does not have today. But inspect the reverse side of the coin, from the Presidents point of view. If Anderson is denied the liberal endorsement, and Carter receives it, not only is Carter given a boost in New York, but Anderson is on the ropes all over the nation. Why? Because if Anderson does not get the Liberal line, there is a strong possibility that like Eugene McCarthy in 1976 he will not be able to meet the requirements and deadlines to have his name placed on the New York presidential ballot. And if Anderson is not on the New York ballot, his role in the campaign is automatically reduced to that of spoiler, since there is no credible scenario for an Anderson victory that does not include the 41 electoral votes of New York. Game Given its clout, the Liberal Party considered by some in New York to be little more than a fiefdom of Gov. Hugh Carey has demanded that Jimmy Carter allocate a few more billion in his forthcoming budget to job training and public service jobs. Given the interest the President has shown in his he will likely comply. Then the ball is back in the Liberal Party court. If the Liberals nominate Anderson (with Jack Javits already their Senate choice) they may win a million votes; but Carey & Co. may also be given credit for installing Ronald Reagan in the White House. Does Hugh Carey do his cronies in the Liberal Party have the nerve to play that kind of hard ball with a Democratic President? Or are they running a bluff? How would a triumphant, Carter deal with New York City and New York State, if their governor and leading liberals had attempted to kill him politica'ly and ensconce him in the history books as a mediocrity? The Biggest Little Party in America is game. playing in a (Copyright) ... point-bypoi- Big-Stak- nological and economic inferiors. In light of its growing need for access to strategic minerals, the United States displayed unusual patience and restraint in repeatedly delaying seabed mining by domestic firms. By granting them permission to begin operations in 1988, Congress is serving ample notice on all nations that the time for reaching international agreement is fast running out. Orbiting Paragraphs Remember when Thanksgiving was a holiday that meant more than the arrival of Santa Claus in department stores? one-tea- bachelor is a person with so much money in his wallet that he sits crooked. A How could having three-marti- you stand m big-stak- to be president without lunches? Boh Greene City Slickers by Day Round Up Action at Night as Urban Cowboys Field Newspaper Syndicate Joe Tiedjen was a man I knew once. He made his living as a cowboy in New Mexico; it wasnt much of a living, because his type of man was disappearing. Tiedjen didn't talk I . much; he was a large, jf rangy man with one of t his front teeth missing, j and he seemed uncom- - I j fortable to have a repor- - I I ter watching him work. He was magic on a ' horse, though; I would to spend hours trying get 'j him to explain why he did what he did, and he Mr. Greene couldn't come close to finding an answer. Al . But then hed mount his horse and start herding the cattle across the desert, and it was enough to bring tears to your eyes. Joe and the other cowboys I came to know brought as much dignity to their work as anyone I have ever seen; they were not young men, they were the last of a dying species, but there was love and respect in what they did. I've been thinking about Joe Tiedjen lately. How could I not, with the "urban cowboy" craze driving the nations cities to new lows in silliness. Whether youre in Chicago or Atlanta or Miami or Los Angeles, it is becoming impossible to escape grown businessmen dressing up like cowboys, from their expensive boots to their hats, bars at night where rushing to Western-styl- e they can listen to Willie Nel'n on tape and drink $2.25 cocktails befroe th ey return to their condominiums and get rested for a day at the Double Bar R law firm or accounting office in the morning. Texas Chic is something that has been creeping up on America for the past few years, and unfortunately this is the summer when it will be most infectuous. At first I puzzled over how the whole country was going to take part in a cowboy craze; after all, to pretend youre a cowboy youve got to have a horse and wide open spaces. care of theyre they're pretending that they're But the "Urban Cowboy" movie took ; now people aren't pretending that that cowboys pretending that they're cowboys. Their role models arent the Joe Tiedjens of this worH but the John Travoltas. In the movie, Travolta isnt he just dresses up like one at a real cowboy night. Anyone can do that anywhere, and. although why they would want to is a mjstery, it's becoming inescapable. When a little boy straps on a cap gun and pretends he's Hopalong Cassidy, that's OK; children are supposed to live in dream worlds, and theyve got their whole lives to find out that the dreams arent going to come true But when grown men revert to precisely the same childish dream, it's time to ask some questions. Granted, one way to look at it is to say its all harmless fun. No one is going to get hurt by playing cowboy at night. But what all the city cowboys seem to be missing is the essential theme of both the original "Urban Cowboy i.e., magazine story and the current movie that the urban cowboys are pretending to be something they aren't out of unspoken desperation that their own lives lack true meaning and importance. Just as they did when they were little boys, they dress up in cowboy suits when the sun goes down so that they can forget for a while that, in the light of day, they might as well be invisible. The mechanized bulls that are being sold to bars around the country are the perfect parable for the whole craze. For a few minutes a drunken city dweller can climb up on the bull machine and pretend he's riding a bronco. But of course, at the end of an electrical cord is a man who controls the machine, and makes sure that everything is safe. And beneath the machine are piles of mattresses; in case the city cowboy should fall off, his descent will be painless. Not to make a more serious issue of it than it deserves, but the urban cowboy syndrome is just one more piece of evidence that modern man would rather be almost anything than w hat he really is. It is hard to imagine any man who is truly satisfied with his own life putting on a cowboy suit and heading for a Western bar in the city; and the fact that there are, indeed, so many of these men simply tells you something about how unhappy they must be about what fate has dealt tlftm in the daytime. I think of Joe Tiedjen riding alongside cattle on the New Mexico desert, and I wonder what he is doing today. It was 10 years ago that I knew him; now there are no real cattle drives, just stockbrokers and advertising men in chaps and leather vests. I'm sure Joe hasn't seen the movie, and if he were ever to come upon one of those mechanical bulls he'd just have to smile that grin, shake his head and walk away. (Copyright! |