Page 4-Wednesday, July 18, 1979-The Michigan Daily SALT --RY TALK ABOUT weapons ton- nage and firepower has led most Americans to drift away from the SALT II debate out of boredom and concern for more imminent matters such as energy. But the boredom or avoidance of morbid notions such as nuclear war cannot be ignored, considering that so many lives would be snuffed out at the push of a button. That very potential was the original impetus for the disarmament talks-to avoid the almost inevitable result of the arms race. Now that detente has replaced Cold War as the byword of the superpowers' relationship, SALT II must be ratified without alteration to sustain this critical diplomacy. Soviet and American brute force no longer prevails over the world and recent evetns prove it. The Pope's trip to Poland showed that communist governments can no longer scoff at papal power, and the Iranian revolution demonstrated that $20 million in U.S. arms could not save the Shah. It is now clear that alliances can break down and loyalties can shift when conflict occurs in any system. Despite the obvious cracks in super- power control, some SALT critics still expect the U.S. to play world "policeman." Several prominent militarists have complained that due to declining American military dominan- ce we were unable to intervene in the II: Imperfect butvital .L Iranian conflict. This mentality should be absent from our foreign policy, by now, especially after the lessons of Vietnam. It is the same manner of thinking which promotes the arms race. That race is neither slowing down nor under control. While SALT II limits the total number of conventional strategic (i.e. long-range) nuclear-weapon carriers for the two superpowers, the race reaches new heights of sophistication. Now the stockpiles and drawing boards are dominated by laser-detonated H-bombs, MX missiles, "killer satellites" and the like. SALT II affects none of these. The insatiable appetite for weaponry will not be appeased or diverted by SALT II. But neither will the arms race be constrained by the treaty's rejec- tion. The symbolic advantages of ratifying the accords far outweigh the probable results of the Senate's nixing them. If the treaty does not survive the Senate, detente may not endure either. The Soviets have said that they will not renegotiate SALT II if the Senate amends it. Likewise, it is doubtful that Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev or his successor will still be interested in working on SALT III if the Senate fails to approve SALT II. This treaty's sequel may finally put the brakes on the competition, but the race will never be over without SALT II's approval. The Senate is charged by the Con- stitution with a watchdog role in treaty negotiations that some senators are carrying too far. Senate hawks are arousing paranoia reminiscent of the Cold War, which seems in part sincere, but mostly motivated by political self- interests. Presidential hopeful Sen. Howard Baker, who chairs the Senate commit- tee hearings on SALT, has already tossed this political football beyond the bounds of logic through his vocal op- position. If he wants to be president, it is curious that he would endanger Soviet relations by killing SALT. SALT's Senate critics seem to be put- ting their fears of Soviet strategic superiority before sincere interests in preserving life by eventually ending the arms race. While a balance in military capacity is necessary to prevent either side from initiating an attack, a slight tilt in either direction should not spell war. Neither nation can afford the destruction which would result. Therefore, the Senate should dispense with petty squabbles and swing its sup- port behind the treaty. The Soviets, whose lagging economy begs for lowered defense spending. need the treaty. Any action toward ar- ms control also benefits America. Senators should stop trying to scare the public with the notion of the U.S. bowing in appeasement to our Soviet counterparts, and act in the nation's best interest. This nation must strive to prove that force is not the only method of leader- ship. Michigan Daily Eighty-nine Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St, Ann Arbor. MI. 48109 Vol. LXXXIX, No. 46-S News Phone: 764 0552 Edited and managed by studen'ts at the University of Michigan 'Of course you know Sen. Jackson - in for Ronald Reagan.' U. S. -S. Africa trade and technical ties grow By REED KRAMER WASHINGTON, D.C.-While diplomatic relations between the U.S. and South Africa have plummeted in recent months, aggravated by South Africa's latest rejection of the U.S.- backed settlement for Namibia-economic and technical ties between the two nations have actually grown stronger. Here's an overview of those ties, now the target of increasing criticism by African leaders: TRADE: The U.S. has displaced Britain from its longtime role as South Africa's leading trade partner. South African statistics published last month show that total imports and exports between the U.S. and South Africa in 1978 amounted to $2.76 billion, compared to $2.67 billion for the U.K.* West Ger- many was third with $2.3 billion. A 70.8 PER CENT jump in South African exports to the U.S. amounted for the American takeover of first place, and that boom was largely the result of in- creased Krugerrand sales and the higher prices commanded by two minerals,-diamonds and platinum.. MINERALS: An interagency task force set up by the Carter administration to examine American mineral dependency on South Africa recently con- cluded that the effects of a cut-off or lengthy interruption in ship- ments of chromium, manganese, vanadium, or platinum, would be severe and costly, State Depar- tment sources say. Although the task force con- cludes that the lost supplies could eventually bereplaced and that substitutes for the rest of the mineral imports could even more quickly be found, U.S. mining firms are forging closer links by their steadily-rising investments in South African production. INVESTMENT; Those mining ventures are the major reason why U.S. investment in South Africa, which grew by 7 per cent to $1.971 billion in 1977, is expec- ted to increase even more sub- stantially this year. Less noticed but also important is the growth in the value of private U.S. holdings in South African mining stocks. American investors now own about 25 per cent of that country's gold shares with a value of approximately $1.9 billion, according to a recent survey by the Johannesburg brokerage firm Davis Borkum Hare. MILITARY SALES: The ex- tension of the arms embargo to prohibit sales of all U.S.-made items, military or not, to the South African military or police was announced by Secretary Vance on November 2,1977. The administration also can- celled an export license the Ford administration had given San- ders Associates for a $150 million deal involving sophisticated ocean surveillance equipment. Although the company will not comment, there are indications that the deal is going through anyway, and there is con- siderable evidence that South Africa's drive to build a well- equipped military machine has had some notable success. A military trade journal, Ar- mies and Weapons, says South Africa has obtained "a sizeable batch" of M-113 155 mm artillery guns and will soon replace them with more modern M-109s-both of U.S. origin. The BBC disclosed that an American/Canadian firm, Space Research, has sup- plied tens of thousands of 155 mm artillery shells to South Africa, which has just announced- production of its own 155 mm weapon. CITING A WESTERN in- telligence source, the Washington Post's Jim Hoagland says South Africa bought 25Italian-produced 205A Bell helicopters in 1974 or 1975. And the St. Louis Post- Dispatch has cited Control Data Corporation documents showing that computer equipment made by that firm was sold last year to the South African police. Most recently, Business Week reports that Eaton Corporation is con- sidering involvement in a South African gear-and-axle manufac- turing venture whose customers would include the military. NUCLEAR: Washington is still awaiting a formal South African response to the step-by- step formula the State Depar- tment proposed for breaking the deadlock which has put bilateral nuclear cooperation "on hold." In November, the U.S. refunded just over $1 million South Africa had paid for nuclear fuel that is currently not exportable since Pretoria has not agreed to full- scale international observation of its nuclear facilities, as required under American law. Those economic and military . ties help explain Why Vorster and his successor have felt able to defy Western pressures proceed with their own cour: action in South Africa. The B government has now made that it sees South Africa's terests best served by reject not accepting, U.S -sponst settlement schemes for Rhod and Namibia. Having succee in their view, by standing I and appealing over the hea the President to the Amer people, the South Africans s determined to try it again. That leaves the administr with few options. Its attem persuade South Africa that i national cooperation domestic reform offer the chance of insulating itself I spreading guerrilla warfare Soviet expansionism has rebuffed. The appeal to interest has not worked, and ctions and similar foral pressure seem most impro especially after the Sen large vote margin opposing Rhodesian embargo. For and his advisors, the chal has never been greater. Reed.Karner, an editor of News Service, wrote this pi Pacific News Service.