European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 12, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes thursday. September 12, 1985 columns Tom Wicker presume if propaganda Points go of Gorbachev president Reagan s plaintive Pica that he be Given television time to Appeal to the soviet people suggests that he s All Loo Well aware of the sad truth Mikhail s. Gorbachev has been running rings around him in pc Summit propaganda. Beginning with the soviet Leader s proposal for a moratorium on nuclear testing and continuing through his interviews with time Maga Ine and a group of . Senators. Gorbachev has been projecting himself As a Man of Sweet reason anxious to end inc arms race and get on to the world s More pressing needs. To the senators for instance he hinted strongly that if the United states renounced the Militari alien of outer space a Deal could be struck vastly reducing offensive nuclear weaponry. This sounds at least attractive enough to explore. As if the United Stales might get deep cuts in existing soviet l  missiles in return for cancelling outer space defences that arc still on the drawing boards and May never prove technologically feasible. In unappealing contrast Reagan is approaching the november sur Arnii meeting As if he is determined to push in Vujih the american arms buildup and unwilling to take even the smallest step  might Lead to agreement in his meeting with inc soviet Leader me continues to insist that his strategic defense initiative a space based defensive scheme is not negotiable. He flatly rejected Gorbachev s Lesl proposal countering Only with a weak invitation for inc russians to Send someone to watch a Tes. By the uni cd sales. And he announced thai the United states would go ahead w Ith a significant test of an anti sat Lilc asat weapon before the Summit although inc test will make Success Ai the Summit Ler. Likely and the rus sians say it will Render inc Militari Alion of outer space a fait a comply. What s to be gained by this negative stance the test proposal might be Tricky and propagandist As the administration insists. But neither Side could lose much if anything in a six month trial the moratorium would be self enforcing in that militarily significant tests by either Side could be selected instantly by the other and agreement on such a limited step might have had important consequences for the Summit even of Long stalled ngot Illions for a comprehensive lest ban treaty. A moratorium also would have had a salutary affect on the signatories to the nuclear non proliferation treaty meet ing now in Geneva to review observation of the treaty by both nuclear and non nuclear Powers. Gorbachev s proposal James Kilpatrick and Reagan s Quick rejection of it May give the soviet Union significant advantage in this forum. But the administration did not merely reject what it considered a soviet trick officials insisted that the United states needed nuclear tests for the development of an x Ray laser for Reagan s ski. That not Only emphasized his insistence on the militarization of space no matter what the political or economic Cost but a Fulcd his claim that the ski would be a non nuclear defense. A Ray lasers arc produced Only by nuclear exp onions. Officials also said More testing was needed to find ways to fight a Long nuclear War. Not Only do scientific authorities believe that protracted nuclear War fighting is not possible if the Reagan administration is pursuing the capacity to fight such a War it is Contra vening the president s own dictum a nuclear War can not be won and must never be  similarly the administration claims it needs the asat test now planned for Friday to catch up with an operational soviet asat. But the soviet system is primitive of dubious effectiveness and offers no real threat the Superior american system to be tested Actu ally would catapult the United  into the Lead for the moment. Besides on june 10. 1984, an Ameri can interceptor hit and destroyed a minuteman War head in space if the United slates can already do that it can already destroy satellites too. And has no real need for the new test. That test May even be illegal because Congress prohibited in unless the administration had irid in Good Faith to negotiate a treaty Banning Masats. A Camel could go through the Eye of a Needle before Reagan could Demon Strate that he had actually made such an Effort. Cd new York time new service Congress wisely plans for cons fun onal convention there is a chinese proverb so i am told to this effect a Wise Man digs a Well before he gets thirsty. The Senate Judic iary committee had that sound advice in mind last month when it approved a Bill to provide the machinery for calling a constitutional convention. No such convention has been held since the summer of 1787, and it a Corm to me unlikely that another one will be held at any Lime soon. Even so prudence is an admirable virtue. By sonic accounts 32 states have applied to Congress for a convention that would submit an amendment to require a balanced Federal budget. The applications of two More states might possibly trigger the Call required by arli Csc v of inc Constitution. It will do no harm and it might avoid much confusion to get the pending Bill s. 40 onto the statute books. The Senate has been kicking this matter around for the past 18 years. North Carolina s Sam Ervin Patron suit of the legislation held extensive hearings in 1967. In 1971 he managed to get his Bill through the Senate 84-0. Again in 1973 the Senate approved an Ervin Bill but when senator Sam retired most of the scam leaked out. Now the Campaign for a balanced budget amendment has the movement fired up again and the pending Bill sponsored by Utah s Orrin Hatch is on the congressional Calendar. Toe Tortoise and the Hare under the Hatch Bill. Inc states would be required to apply for a constitutional convention to propose one or More specific amendments to the Constitution. The slate resolutions would not have to spell Cut precise language they need Only slate the substance of their request. If two thirds of the slates filed similar and valid petitions in a Span of seven years and none of them rescinded or withdrew its Resolution in the meantime Congress would Issue the Call. The convention like Congress would consist of 535 members chosen by the states As senators and representatives arc chosen. No member of Congress could be come a Delegate. Members of the Conven Tion would be paid As members of con Gress Are paid. The convention would have to wind up its business in six months unless Congress extended the period. Hatch s Bill contains this key provision no convention called under this act May propose any amendment or amendments of a subject matter different from that stated in the concurrent Resolution calling the  would that provision survive Challenge in court no one knows. The question never has Arisen. A few Days ago two Law professors testified before a House sub committee that any attempt to limit a constitutional convention would in itself be profoundly  other scholars take a different View. Beyond question the Stales that have asked for a convention on a balanced budget Amend men believe that a convention May be so limited. Most of the 32 have applied for a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of propounding this one Resolution. Eleven states have been even More emphatic. Alaska Colorado Idaho Iowa Louisiana Nevada new Hampshire Missouri North Carolina South Dakota and Utah have re solved that their applications be deemed null and void rescinded and of no effect if a convention is not so limited. What All this suggests among other things is that a Long Long Road of litigation would have to be travelled before a Gavel could fall. Four of the applications from Maryland Mississippi Dela Ware and North Dakota Date from 1975. Eight others were adopted in 1976, three in 1977. These arc getting a Little Long in the Loolah. There is a furl her problem with North Dakota s Resolution it was not addressed to inc Congress As the Constitution requires bul to Sisler so alas and a nol even mailed to the Senate until 1979. Is in valid again who knows for reasons i have spelled out Many limes i am opposed to a balanced budget amendment. Nevertheless Congress has shown itself unwilling or incapable of Matching income with outgo and popular demand is rising for some disciplinary machinery that would compel fiscal sanity. A constitutional convention is not probable but it is possible. Sen. Hatch in urging thai we dig the Well before we get thirsty. The Houghl makes sense. C univ anal Prest Syndicate