European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday november 14, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 9 Summit preview superpowers societies differ vastly Reagan Gorbachev must seek common ground to Bridge Gap a analysis by Thomas Kent new York to Many americans the soviet Union seems a Gray uniform society a world of secrecy and coercion. Soviet consumer goods Are often shoddy and exit from the country is strictly controlled. Soviets on the other hand express Shock at what they see As the failures of America s Well educated wealthy society jobs Are not guaranteed crime is widespread medical care and University education Cost Money and homeless people roam the streets. Which country is better How is soviet society different from the world that americans know the questions arise As president Reagan and soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev prepare to sit Down nov. 19-20 for the first Summit Between the superpowers in More than five years. Coming from societies so different Reagan and Gorbachev have a tremendous Gap to Bridge. The Suc Cess of the Geneva talks could depend on the degree to which the two Leader realize their differences and seek common ground for Accord. Most soviets readily admit that their Standard of living is far below american norms although the Multi family apartment is disappearing and Gorba Chev s administration has pledged a new commitment to consumer goods. Many soviets envy the Freedom of americans to travel and look to the West for new ideas in style and technology. One major difference Between soviet and american life is the amount of organization in soviet society. The . Government asks Little of citizens except that they obey the Law. Soviet citizens on the other hand Are expected not Only to obey the Law but to participate actively in communist society. A soviet citizen who does t vote in his country s single candidate elections is Likely to find a committee of neighbourhood volunteers at his apartment door looking for an explanation. He in t Likely to be penalized but absence from the polling station is noticed. It is not illegal to refuse to work on special Days of unpaid labor held each year in Honor of . Lenin the founder of the soviet stale. But Many office and factory workers find it easier to show up for work than to stand out among their colleagues As selfish or unenthusiastic. Soviets often Are urged to subscribe to government publications do Volunteer work in auxiliary police units schools or on farms and attend Public lectures. Many do because it is the path of least resistance in a world that encourages Public service. The society also moves quickly to Deal with citizens who get out of line. The theory that they re not Hurt ing anyone but themselves rarely applies. A drunk found wandering on a Moscow Street will be taken to a detoxification station sobered up and then turned Over to the custody of supervisory commit tees at his residence or place of work. Workers who get into a fight at their factory May be fined by an informal comrades court and assigned buddies to make sure they behave properly in the future. People who Don t work at All can be imprisoned for  spreading anti soviet propaganda is punishable by Law. But for people eager to serve society or who Are joiners by nature the soviet Union s organized society can be a Benefit. . And soviet society also differ in the Freedom of Choice available to citizens and How the fruits of society arc parcelled out. In the United states Money is perhaps the most important Factor. Americans who have the Money can live where they want vacation almost anywhere see any theater performance. The soviet Union for economic and political Rea sons has designed its society very differently. To Deal with limited vacation facilities for instance the soviet Union has a fixed number of All inclusive packages for distribution to citizens. The packages Are cheap bul it is difficult to modify them or to vacation without them. Individuals can have trouble booking transportation and hotels even if they have plenty of rubles. Therefore getting the right package through hard work or special contacts becomes More important than Money itself. Similarly moving from one City to another in t just a question of Money. Apartments Are cheap but to prevent overcrowding the state decides who can move into popular cities like Moscow and Leningrad. Crite Ria other than Money determine whether a pass to live in a sought after City will be approved. Politically the trappings of democracy arc every where in the soviet Union. There arc regular elections. Voter meetings with candidates and an extensive Hierarchy of local regional and National councils and parliaments. But the system bears Little similarity to Western  a one candidate election seems a mockery to westerners there has rarely been anything else in the soviet Union. Soviet officials note that if citizens Are dissatisfied enough with the single candidate they can defeat him and Force a new election. This occasionally happens. The nation s Paramount leaders the members of the communist parly s ruling politburo do not derive their Power from Public elections at All. Politburo members including Gorbachev arc elected by the party s own Central committee. They May be members of Public parliaments As Well but their real Power comes from party elections to the politburo. Soviet spokesmen often assert that there is no True democracy in the United states. They note that socialists and communists do not become major . Politi Cal candidates and they say the Republican and democratic parties simply offer different flavors of capitalism. The United states is a Young country Rich in re sources that has known for most of its existence Only Prosperity orderly changes of government and Victory in foreign wars. Most americans Are relatively confident of their political and economic system and Are convinced that their leaders would never intentionally Start a War. The soviet people by comparison go Back Many More centuries and their history is marked by bloody fighting on their own soil abrupt changes of govern ment and economic privation As Well us periods of brilliance in science and the arts. Soviets arc often indignant that Many americans Don t know the soviet Union lost 20 million people in world War ii. Soviet officials say that after suffering such a terrible loss the soviet Union could never think of launching a third world War and that it is an obscenity for Washington to suggest that such a thing is possible. Editor s note Thomas Kent Rewt editor of the a  do Villon in new York reported Lor the allocated pm irom Moscow Lor t i year and waved Al Moscow Bureau Chloel. Cautions it s not going to be easy Reagan Nof pessimistic about Summit Washington a president Reagan says he s not pessimistic about his Summit with soviet chief Mikhail Gorbachev next week. But in an interview with european journalists he did t sound too optimistic either. I understand of course that it s not going to be easy " the president said tuesday. There s a Long history of meetings Between our two countries and Many times without much  s interview conducted in the East room was broadcast to Europe daring evening viewing hours. He virtually ruled out a far reaching arms control arc cent but said he hoped the Summit might produce a Lignal to arms negotiators that we want them to continue and to arrive at an  after talks in Moscow last week. Secretary of state Gage Shultz returned to Washington with the Mes Sage that deep divisions remained Between the two sides on trim control and other issues. Reagan said the to Hay Summit beginning tuesday in Genev Switzerland will be More than a get acquainted session. I think there Are Many areas for agreement  m not pessimistic about them he added. The president said that bilateral issues Between the United Lutes and soviet Union would probably be the not try to change  joking with the journalists Reagan said it will be the first Summit at which the american Leader is older than his soviet counterpart. Maybe i can help this Young Man with some fatherly advice Reagan said. At 74, Reagan is 20 years Gorba Chev s senior. Both superpowers have been jockeying for an Edge in worldwide opinion going into the Summit. Reagan there is no Way that i could go there and Deal with the subjects before us without having in mind the Best interests of our allies also president Reagan strongly hinted he will not agree to a joint communique with Gorbachev at the meeting and instead wants to deliver his own View of what happens. I m not a great fan of communiques the sort of settling on a statement in Advance the president said. Noting that discussions have been held about issuing a joint communique Reagan said i think it would nuke far More sense if each one of us came Forth and gave our own View of the meetings and what had been achieved told crinkly what had been accomplished and what had  Reagan will Slop in Brussels Belgium on nov. 20 to Brief allies at nato Headquarters and then proceed to the Capitol upon arriving in Washington later that night to deliver a report to Congress on the Summit. While arms control will be a subject of the Summit Reagan said "1 Don t envision this meeting As being one where we will get Down to specific numbers and so  Reagan pledged i m going to make every Effort to try and reduce the mistrust and suspicion that seem to exist Between our Well not Only our two nations but sort of the East and the  promising to protect the interest of America s allies in Geneva Reagan said there is no Way that i could 30 there and Deal with the subjects before us without having in mind the Best interests of our allies also because in the event of catastrophe they Are there on the front line they would be the first to feel  once again he ruled out abandoning research on his Star wars missile defense plan which the administration Calls the strategic defense initiative. Reiterating that the is. Does not want a monopoly on Star wars Reagan said we will make available to everyone this weapon. I Don t mean Well give it to  amid laughter from the journalists Reagan said they re going to have to pay for it but at Cost. But we would make this defensive weapon  the president said that once Star wan is perfected he will propose that atomic weapons be  if the soviets refuse to dismantle their nuclear Stock pile he said i certainly Don t believe that we could standby and let them veto our use or implementation of � defensive