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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1983)
Reagan seems at peace with bishops’ letter An Associated Press Analysis WASHINGTON (AP) - Debating theology with clergymen is a sure way to lose, and the administration is ex tending that guideline in response to the denunciation of nuclear weapons — and major elements of U S. nuclear strategy — by Roman Catholic bishops. Pres. Ronald Reagan and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger avoided discussing details of the long-debated pastoral letter adopted on Tuesday by leaders of the 51 million American Catholics. Instead, they kept their comments broad enough to suggest that the view of the bishops and the policies of the administration really are not that much at odds. That is pretty broad. Reagan said he hadn't read the 45,000-word statement the bishops adopted in Chicago, but from what he’d seen, there were many points with which the administration would have no quarrel. But it doesn’t take a line-by-line reading to see some major differences. The bishops condemned first use of nuclear weapons on any scale. The use of tactical nuclear weapons is one of the options reserved by NATO as a possible response to an overwhelming conventional attack on Western Europe. The letter challenged the use of nuclear weapons even in retaliation to an attack on American cities. ’’Retaliatory action which would in discriminately take many wholly inno cent lives, lives of people who are in no way responsible for the reckless ac tions of their government, must be condemned,” the letter says. Credible retaliatory power is at the heart of the policy of nuclear deterrence. The bishops called for immediate, verifiable agreements to halt the testing, production and deployment of nuclear weapons — a version of the nuclear freeze to which Reagan is firm ly opposed. The president didn't go into those points. He accentuated the positive: ‘‘They’re not saying anything we don't say, that God forbid those weapons should ever be used. “What I’m saying is that I think their purpose is the same as ours,” Reagan told interviewers. “They’re looking for a way toward peace and promoting world peace, and that’s what we're also looking for.” Weinberger said he didn’t think the bishops intended to undercut US. deterrent policy. “If we were to end deterrence and erode it by statements that we would in effect never use or dismantle all of our strategic systems, that I think would encourage the Soviets, and I don't think that’s really the thrust of their letter.” The administration had sought to temper the bishop’s statement on nuclear policy, so as to tone down direct or implied criticism of American policy. “When someone tries to pressure you, you stiffen your back,” said Cardinal John Krol of Phil adelphia. "It’s a normal human reac tion.” Now the administration focus is on areas of agreement, not differences. Sacred Heart General Hospital r *» •:< Invites you to our Health Fair 81 Open House Sunday, May 8 from noon to 5 p.m. Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Main Lobby “We Care For You Like Family” Come and Bring Your Family and Friends uiaKLH I uir i 3 Eugene Fire Dept. Ambulance Fetal monitoring Echocardiogram check Blood pressure screening Lung capacity check Blood sugar test Blood-typing Low-salt food samples Pollen-filter masks Coloring books Balloons and popcorn Living with cancer A.L. Verne Hawn Eye Center Short Stay Unit Pastoral Care and Medical Social Work Mental Health Services Diabetes in the 80’s Speech & Language Therapy Adolescent CareUnit Nutrition Emergency Department and Specialized First Aid Kits Family-Centered Birth Unit Sacred Heart’s Lifeline Housekeeping & Linen Services Bloodmobile Computers in the Hospital Oregon Donor Program TOURS Family-Centered Birth Unit Radiology Department Short Stay Unit Mental Health Services Free parking is available both days in the Diamond Lot at 13th and Patterson O'*9 FK14L3 I U Win Running and court shoes A 13-session weight control program Soccer ball Infant car seat Jane Fonda workout tape 1-year supply Enfamil infant formula 1-year supply pediatric vitamin' Relaxation instruction audiotape Blood chemistry profile from our lab (includes 22 results) 1-year subscription to Lane County Living Free resoling of athletic shoes Short-term health club memberships Health classes Health books and cookbooks One month s diaper service A metal sculpture Pharmacy gift certificates Eyeglass frames Flowers Ice cream gift certificates Blood Sugar Testing Strips PRIZES COURTESY OF; Baby World Diaper Service Baker s Pharmacy Days Ease Diaper Service Diabetes Store, Inc Eugene Family YMCA Eugene's Flower Home Excelsior Cafe Hair Today House of Uniforms Lane County Living Magazine Lane County Medical Auxiliary Luby's Mead Johnson Nutrition Associates Oakmont Athletic Club Oakway Spa Pacific Nautilus Pneu Med Inc Prince Puckler's Gourmet Ice Cream Professional Pharmacy Rainbow Optics Rerun Sacred Heart General Hospital Sportstown Athletics Steve Davis Trackside University of Oregon Bookstore Willamette Valley Cycle Works O* ✓ rf*1 & 909/ Sacred Heart General Hospital 686-7074 1255 HHyard EPA director nominee will clean waste dumps WASHINGTON (AP) - William Ruckelshaus pledged today that he would move ag gressively to clean up aban doned toxic waste dumps without waiting to determine who would ultimately pay for the clean-up. Ruckelshaus' pledge, made at the third day of hearings on his nomination to head the En vironmental Protection Agen cy, signalled a change from past Reagan administration policy. Under former Administrator Anne Burford, the EPA em phasized negotiated set tlements with responsible par ties rather than committing money from the $1.6 billion superfund. It was allegations of political manipulation and mismanagement of the fund that drove Burford and a dozen of her top aides from office in recent months. Ruckelshaus, asked if he would improve on a record that has seen money spent on only 78 of 419 dump sites, said: “From the evidence I have seen, there was too much emphasis placed on who pays, rather than going ahead and getting the dumps cleaned up.” He added that it was very likely he will seek to spend more money on clean-ups this year than the administration had originally requested. Ruckelshaus’ comments before the Senate Environ ment and Public Works Com mittee marked one of the few times in his two days of confir mation hearings where he signalled a specific change in past administration policy. Sen. Robert Stafford, chair man of the environment com mittee, announced toward the end of the panel’s questioning of Ruckelshaus that he had scheduled a vote on the nomination for Friday morning. Duffy’s Rocks Duffy’s Tavern THE HOTTEST SHOWCASE, SHOWPLACE OF EUGENE PRESENTS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT ANOTHER PERFORMANCE OF THE HOTTEST GROUP OF BOYS TO HIT EUGENE SINCE ROCK BAND. THEY ARE THE BOYS CLUB IS ONE GROUP EVERYONE WILL WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER OF, AND THEY ARE AT DUFFY’S. eu Opening for Boys Club Syndicate Duffy’s Rocks I3th & Alder
