The BG News November 11, 1981
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Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 11-11-1981 The BG News November 11, 1981 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News November 11, 1981" (1981). BG News (Student Newspaper). 3923. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/3923 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. The B G News Wednesday Bowling Green State University November 11, 1981 Reagan will veto all bills adding to taxpayers' burden WASHINGTON (AP) - President to rescue this economy from years of "I STAND READY to veto any bill "We have no plans to put Americans with the Soviet Union shortly and nomic program is designed to rectify Ronald Reagan said yesterday that he government mismanagement." that abuses the limited resources of into combat anywhere in the world." hopes for "a reduction of nuclear over the long haul this problem that "stands ready to veto any bill that the taxpayers," he said. "It is ironic -"The most realistic approach (to weapons" in Europe. has been with us over the last 40 abuses the limited resources of the BUT HE SAID that even with the 35 that those who would have us assume peace in the Middle East) is the one -The United States still hopes to years. ...Also, we are looking very taxpayers," and said the Democrats billion in spending cuts Congress has blame for( this economic mess are the we are taking" through the Camp help restore order in El Salvador. He seriously at the idea of urban renewal are trying to blame him for an eco- approved, federal spending is rising ones who created it." David peace process. He said an said he is "hopeful still that we can ... enterprise zones to hit unemploy- nomic mess they created. far too rapidly. "This government In answer to other questions, Rea- eight-point plan offered by Saudi Ara- bring about the idea of an election and ment in our cities." "Our program has only been in must stiffen its spine and not throw in gan said: bia implied "recognition of Israel's a peaceful settlement.... The guerril- -Defended plans to go ahead with effect for some 40 days, and you can't the towel on the fight to get federal right to exist, one of the sticking las have failed miserably in attempt- production of the B-l bomber to re- cure 40 years of problems in that short spending under control," he said. -He "would be just as disturbed as points in the Arab world. That's why ing to bring the population over on place the aging B-52 fleet. "I believe a time,'' Reagan said in a statement Reagan said Congress has not yet you are and just as confused" about I've referred to it as a hopeful sign. It their side. The populace is still in that this and the MX (missile) are he read to a white House news confer- sent him one appropriations bill for reports he endorsed the idea of a indicates a willingness to negotiate." support of the government." both important parts of strengthening ence. the bookkeeping year that began Oct. limited nuclear war. Reagan said his -The president said high unemploy- our weakened triad (air land and sea His theme was a familiar one. The 1 - and the money measures now comments to a group of editors about -Worldwide, "Our goal is peace, it ment among blacks and other minori- defense)." He said the B-l is needed president said that since the day he pending would exceed spending tar- the threat of nuclear war later were has always been." He noted the ties "is not new with this until the high-technology Stealth took office "our top priority has been gets. ; taken out of context and asserted: United States will begin negotiations administration. ...We think our eco- bomber can be produced. Dangerous substance remains in nuclear warheads contain the volatile explosive. "closely related to weapons opera- by Pacific News Service Hoover said that the government tional safety." Sewell went on to EDITOR'S NOTE: Seven years has no safety concerns about the become DOE assistant secretary after U.S. nuclear weapons scien- LX-09 warheads. He said it was for defense programs. tists reported that an explosive only "a coincidence" that a special IF THERE WERE INDEED a substance used in nuclear war- program was undertaken about serious safety problem raised by heads was highly volatile and sub- one year after the fatal accident to the laboratory tests, and confirmed ject to accidental detonation, the gradually replace the Poseidon by the Pantex accident, the Penta- compound LX-09 remains in hun- warheads with ones which do no gon faced a stark choice: Either dreds of American warheads, pos- contain LX-09. "recall" the LX-09 warheads for ing potential dangers of accidental Removal of the warheads is immediate replacement, or play plutonium scatter. Though the gov- scheduled to take about six years. down the significance of the prob- ernment denies there is a safety Hoover said some warheads con- lem and replace them over a grad- hazard, the Pentagon is gradually taining LX-09 will remain in de- ual period. The first option would replacing the warheads, many of ployment for another "three to five have meant a potential disruption which will remain in deployment years." He added that the phase- to the deployment of some or all of for three to five years. out of the LX-09 warheads is due to the 19 Poseidon submarines which a 'deterioration problem" with the represent most of the present U.S. Seven years ago, government sci- explosive's bonding material, and sea-based nuclear weapons capa- entists working on the U.S. nuclear not because of safety concerns. He bility. weapons program discovered the stressed that reliability of the LX- However, if the Pentagon was disconcerting fact that an explo- 09 warheads as nuclear weapons concerned about the warheads, it sive substance used in warhead will not be impaired during the clearly permitted strategic deploy- construction was so unstable that it remaining years of deployment. ment requirements to dictate the exploded half the times it was HOWEVER, an investigation solution-gradual replacement. dropped from a height of less than supported by the Center for Inves- Some informed sources also be- one foot. tigative Reporting revealed that lieve that LX-09 warheads may Three years after that discovery, concerns over accidental deto- have been deployed on other mis- three workers at the Pantex nu- nation of the explosive have been sile systems, including the ground- clear weapons assembly plant near expressed by scientists at the na- based Lance and the short-range Amarillo, Texas, were lulled when tion's nuclear weapons research attack missiles aboard B-52s and a worker accidentally detonated laboratory at Livermore, Calif. FB-llls. The Pentagon denies this. the substance during normal ma- A July 31,1974, summary of tests INFORMED SOURCES estimate chining procedures. After the acci- conducted by the Lawrence Liv- the number of deployed LX-09 war- dent, which caused 2.5 million ermore Laboratory concluded that heads in the thousands. damage and hurled debris more "LX-09 displays some very undesi- In fact, purchase order records than 320 feet, use of the plastic- rable properties.... The reaction show that in 1973 and 1974 the bonded explosive was halted in levels observed are generally quite government bought at least 20,000 1977. high and independent of impact pounds of LX-09 for use at Pantex. - However, the substance, known velocity. Thus, LX-09 exhibits both That is enough for production of as XL-09, remains in hundreds of lpw-threshold velocity for reaction several hundred warheads in those nuclear warheads today, posing and rapid buildup to violent reac- Sears alone. Fabrication of LX-09 what some experts believe consti- tion. Any accidental mechanical or warheads continued until the tutes a very serious threat of acci- ignition has a large probability of accident in March 1977. The sub- in widespread dispersal of pluto- detonation inside a warhead could vin D. Morgan, a Dallas physician dental detonation and possible building to a violent deflagration or stance was manufactured by the nium, which "could be a quite be of immediate danger to the 140 and attorney for relatives of the plutonium contamination of port detonation." Holsten Defense Corp., a wholly serious problem from a public crew members aboard Poseidon three men killed at the Pantex cities in the United State and Eu- In the aftermath of the 1977 Pan- owned subsidiary of Eastman Ko- health standpoint." said Dr. Ed- submarines. If a detonation oc- Blant in 1977. (On October 1 a U.S. tex accident, Livermore Labo- dak. ward Radford, chairman of the curred while a submarine was in istrict Court in Amarillo dis- MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM HOO- ratory deputy director Duane C. The safety concerns raised about National Academy of Science's lat- port, plutonium contamination of missed the suit by the dead work- VER, the Department of Energy's Sewell conceded in a 'priority" accidental detonation of LX-09 do est committee on radiation effects. residents in the vicinity could be ers' relatives on technical legal director of military application, memo to high-ranking nuclear not extend to possible detonation of Cancer of lungs and bone marrow severe.