Nuclear Threat: What About the Russians?

Abstract

To the Editor.— Let me offer the following comments on Dr Grey Dimond's 1 plans endorsed by the Editor to exchange 250,000 students as hostages with the Soviet Union to assuage his fears of an atomic attack. It is one thing to package this idea as a means to promote understanding and friendship and, therefore, peace between our nations. It would serve as a demonstration of our openness and goodwill and would expose the hypocrisy of their peace-and-friendship propaganda, since it is an offer that the Soviets cannot possibly accept. It is quite another matter to indulge in self-delusion that the Soviets are really worried enough about the likelihood of a US-initiated first strike to open their doors to a quarter million unruly US teenagers who would probably destroy the system from within. Or do you suppose that our kids, if you could catch them before they escape to Canada,