Caldicott Charges Nuclear War Is 'Inevitable' Under Reagan

Charging that it President Reagan "is reelected, accidental nuclear war becomes a mathematical certainty," anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen M. Caldicott headlined a forum on arms issues in the science center last night.

Caldicott, president emeritus of Physicians for Social Responsibility, joined Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ariela J. Gross '87 in lambasting the defense policy of the Reagan administration.

Caldicott said that when U.S. Pershing and Cruise missiles are fully installed in Europe, they will be six minutes away from targets in the Soviet Union. In the event of what she termed an inevitable computer mishap, the missiles could not be recalled in time.

Dangerous

"Reagan is the most dangerous man ever to hold office," Caldicott told an audience of 200 which only filled half of Lecture Hall B. "We have seven months [before the November elections] to save this country."

Markey, who introduced to Congress the bill supporting a nuclear freeze in both 1982, and 1983, argued for student involvement in electing officials who will work for a freeze.

"It's your job to change things," Markey said. "Historians will record that 1984 was the last clear chance to prevent a nuclear war."

Markey said that support for his bill has increased over the last two years, and he attributed the success to a "tremendous grassroots effort."

Gross, a freshman from Princeton, N.J. became the focus of media attention last June when she used her opportunity as winner of a Presidential Scholarship to deliver Reagan a critical letter opposing his arms buildup.

Gross later met with Reagan for 30 minutes. She described the President as "vastly uniformed... It was scary." He told me that Americans had the privilege of freedom of speech, but also the responsibility to be right," she added, drawing laughter from the crowd.

The lecture rally was organized by Rachel H. Inker '86, and Deborah Kantor '85, who both knew Caldicott while at high school in Newton.