Box 17, Folder 13, Document 39

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Box 17, Folder 13, Document 39

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The Harris Survey



Times Herald



MONDAY, JULY 8, 1963

Test-Ban Pact Has Cautious Support
Of 737% of Americans, Poll Shows

By Louis Harris
@ 1963, The Washington Post

When Under Secretary of State Averell Harriman
sits down a week from today in Moscow to negotiate a

nuclear ‘test-ban agreement

with the Soviet Union, he

can count on the cautious support of better than seyen

out of every ten Americans,

completed of a scientifically
public. :
Here is what emerged when
the question of a test ban was
put directly to the people:
Attitudes Toward Test-Ban
Agreements with Russians
Total Public

Per Cent
Favor ban agreement

Unqualified approval
- Qualified approval
Oppose ban agreement 17

Not Sure ; 10
‘ Outright opposition to any
ban agreement on atomic test-
ing runs to no more than one
voter in every six across the
country. The number who
would support a test-ban set-
tlement with the Russians are

47
26

divided, however, between |
those who feel we should bend :

any and all efforts toward this
end, and those who insist that.
varying safeguards be strictly
observed.

according to a survey just
chosen cross-section of the

-Here are the reasons of the
American people—the “whys”

behind their stated opinions—

told in their own words:

Reasons for Favoring or
Opposing Test Ban Agreement
Total Public

_ Per Cent ,
Reasons for unqualified ap-





proval 47
Find way to end tests 16
End risk of atom war 11:
Cut fall-out B. 10
Stop world suicide "6
Halt cost of testing 4

Terms for qualified approval 26
If Russia keeps word ll
Only with inspection il

If on our terms 4

Reasons for opposing 17)
Russia will break it 15
Can’t be weak 2

Not sure 10

The 47 per cent who must:

strongly urge a test-ban agree-
ment feel that a continued nu-
clear arms race with further
testing will lead to the ulti-
mate destruction of the human
race. However, this view con-
stitutes a plurality, not a ma-
jority of the people. The
balance of opinion rests with
those who want an agreement,
but only if it works. This
means inspection and, by im-
plication, leaving as little as
possible to faith in dealing
with the Russjans.

It would be a mistaken
reading of American public
opinion for Chairman Nikita
Khrushchev and the Commu-
nists to assume that the peo-
ple of this country share in
any measure a “ban the bomb,
at any price” philosophy. If
the Russians were to resume
testing again, the pressures
from the American publie on

Reprinted by:

Public Affairs Division
Democratic National Committee

1730 K Street, N. W.

Washington 6, D. C.

President Kennedy to begin ‘2

our own testing again would
be enormous and overwhelm-
ing.

This sentiment for nuclear
test resumption was evident
when we asked the voting
public how they now feel
about Mr. Kennedy’s decision
in 1961 to renew American
nuclear tests after the Soviets
resumed their tests:

' Attitudes Toward U. S.

Decision to Test
* When Russians Test
Total Public
Per Cent

Approve U. S. testing 82

Oppose U. S. testing 10

Not Sure . 8
' There is little doubt that
any Soviet move to resume
testing would meet with a
massive response that this
country should test nuclear
weapons immediately: Here is
the reasoning behind these at-
titudes, as people expressed
them in their own words:

Reason for Approving or
Opposing U. 8. Testing
- Total Public
Per Cent
Why approve U. 8S. tests 82
Stay ahead of Russia 45
No other choice
Be ready for anything
Develop weapons system
Stand up to Russia 5
Test peaceful uses 1
Why oppose U. S. tests 10
Tests endanger health a
Have enough bombs now 3
Two wrongs don’t make
! a right 3
.Not Sure 8

| As on so many issues, Amer-
jican public opinion is both
tough and practical - minded.
Our people recognize the dan-
gers of total nuclear war and

|want every effort bent to avert
it. By the same token, most
Americans embrace the policy
lof peace through strength,
‘feeling that a ban on testing
‘is possible only when | this
‘country possesses a striking
ipower sufficient to discourage
‘any Russian move toward nu:|
clear aggression.

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