May 7 1966
From The Space Library
President Johnson announced U.S. would seek a treaty through the United Nations “laying down rules and procedures for the exploration of celestial bodies.” He listed as “essential elements” of the proposed treaty: (1) the moon and other celestial bodies should be free for exploration and use by all countries; (2) no country should be permitted a claim of sovereignty; (3) there should be freedom of scientific investigation, and all countries should cooperate in scientific activities relating to celestial bodies; (4) efforts should be made to avoid harmful contamination; (5) astronauts of one country should give any necessary help to astronauts of another country; (6) no country should be permitted to station weapons of mass destruction on a celestial body; and (7) weapon tests and military maneuvers should be forbidden. (Text, Pres. Doc., 5/16/66, 622; NYT, 5/8/66, 66)
Editorial comment on President Johnson’s proposal: . . . In addition to rules governing space exploration a body of law is needed to govern the exploitation of useful resources that may conceivably be found on other solar bodies. Omission of this topic from the first international treaty on space law could produce future difficulties. But the President may well have felt that any present attempt to reach agreement on this delicate matter might prolong negotiations beyond the time of the first manned lunar landing. . . . There is no time to lose in getting international agreement to and ratification of this essential document.” (NYT, 5/9/66, 36)
Someday such a treaty may save us from a new sort of far-out interplanetary imperialism. As revived by Mr. Johnson, however, the proposal has to do with a problem that will develop sooner and closer to home. After all between now and 1969 or 1970, Americans are going to be lofted to the moon’s surface, and so are Russians. This is a prospect full of very great historic importance. It lends special force to the President’s call for a renewed effort . . . to negotiate an understanding under which the always unpredictable Russians will sign a treaty worthy of the name. . . .” (Wash. Eve. Star, 5/10/66, A6)
“The first manned landing on the moon seems likely before 1970. The implications are immense, regardless of whether the first one is American or Russian. President Johnson’s proposal for an international compact to govern this and outer space explorations makes much sense. “. . .Perhaps a willingness by Moscow to entertain a treaty on space may also open the door to discussions about pooling some of the costs, as the late President Kennedy proposed.” (Boston Globe, 5/11/66)
Probably the most succinct argument against a comprehensive treaty of this nature is, ‘Who needs it?’ Monopolization of the lunar surface by military units and establishment of terror weapons on the moon or in orbit appear to be neither immediate dangers nor remote possibilities. The bugaboo of an orbiting multimegaton H-bomb seems, on close examination, to be more trouble than it would be worth. . . . “There is no slightest indication that the Russians propose to lay claim to the moon if their cosmonauts get there first, any more than we do if we win the race. The precedent followed by both countries in Antarctica-nearest thing to the moon on earth-is neither to assert nor to recognize territorial claims. This was U.S. and Soviet policy before the Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959. . . . (Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 5/12/66, A20)
May 7: Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara’s contention that Nike-X antimissile missile system was incapable of defending U.S. against Soviet attack and should be kept in R&D stage, received support from Society of American Scientists’ executive board. In a statement opposing Senate vote providing $168 million toward deployment of Nike-X system, the SAS board said: “These expenditures, truly enormous over extended periods, would be the hallmark of a frightened, not a great society.. . .” (Wash. Post, 5/8/66, P14)
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