◆ SpookStack

Obviously, this would not provide us with defense. This would not provide security, and similarly in the the world situ- ation, our reliance upon threats of indiscriminate slaughter does not provide us with any means of protecting ourselves. In 1945 the United States and Russia had nuclear weapons. In 1952 the United States, Russia and Great Britain had nuclear Weapons. In 1960 the United States, Russia, Great Britain, and France have nuclear weapons. Other countries now have nuclear . ‘weapons programs under way. It is not only that the major powers are spreading gasoline and kerosene around the areas of the world. More and more small groups of people are clam- oring to get into the act. We cannot constantly be putting more hands on the trigger that might set off disaster and expect to get away with it indefinitely, If we are going to survive, and if we are going to have a society that is moving ahead to fulfill the potentials for growth and advancement which our world society has today, something drastic has to take place. A basic change is needed. Such a basic change cannot be outlined in a few words tonight. It is at least a starting point, however, to recognize clearly that we are in a new and untried situation — a situa- tion which requires new and radical action if we are to cope with it. Rational men don’t decide on a course of action simply by choosng the midpoint in the spectrum of other men’s thoughts. They observe what is occuring in the world and then take action commensurate with the events and the task at hand. We might ask ourselves, are we happy simply being tools for other men? A well oiled tool, one which is kept in fine condition, but nevertheless a tool whose handle rests in some- one else’s hands. Are you happy about seeing your labor unions converted into large too] boxes to conveniently keep this bunch of tools? Are you happy being used as a pawn in this fantastic game of military buildup and counter military buildup, nuclear threat and counter threat? Do we want to have some respon- sibility for running our lives and controlling our future, or are we satisfied with being the complicated objects at the disposal of other men? These are questions that we will have to answer soon. I think we realize that we do have a power in our hands which is greater than that of the atom. We have the power to control the atom —- the nucleus is at the disposal of human beings. How human beings spend their time and energy is at the disposal of themselves. This meeting tonight is in part an answer to the question, what are we going to doe with this power? J] am glad to see that we are turning to these problems after a long period when we tried to hide from them.