‘Move This Along,’ Dole Urges GOP Holdouts on INF Treaty : Amendments Peril Hopes for Approval in Time for Summit

Senate GOP leader Bob Dole of Kansas told a band of fellow Republicans today that they should not hold up the INF treaty, reminding them of their responsibility to President Reagan “to move this along.”

On the third day of debate on the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, the most senior senator, John C. Stennis (D-Miss.) urged ratification of the accord, calling it a “small but vitally important step.”

In a wheelchair as he spoke, Stennis, 86, who came to the Senate in 1947 and witnessed the birth of the nuclear age, said the accord offers the chance to establish a new relationship with Moscow.

Today saw little progress to a final vote, which could jeopardize Reagan’s hope to take the ratified treaty to Moscow when he meets with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev at their fourth summit on May 30-June 2.

Floor debate has bogged down by the stalling tactics of Senate conservatives who strongly oppose the treaty. Four “killer amendments” were hanging over the Senate, and the conservatives were in no hurry to call them up.

Dole chided Republican treaty opponents for the delay and told them that they have a duty to their Republican President.

‘Burden on Republicans’

The pending amendments, Dole said, place “a particular burden on Republicans to move this along, since it’s a Republican President going to Moscow next Wednesday, to bring (the amendments) to the floor, have the debate and move on.”

The INF treaty, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev on Dec. 8 in Washington, calls for the destruction of all U.S. and Soviet shorter- and medium-range ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles.

About 867 U.S. and 1,752 Soviet missiles with ranges from 300 to 3,400 miles would be destroyed over three years under the treaty, which also features unprecedented on-site inspections.

Before the Senate can reach the “resolution of ratification,” the document that exercises the chamber’s constitutional mandate of advice and consent to the treaty, it must deal with amendments to the treaty’s text. Such changes need only a majority, but the final vote on the resolution of ratification takes a two-thirds tally.

Treaty opponents were not persuaded by Dole’s call for swift action. Malcolm Wallop (R-Wyo.) said the Senate should resist granting approval when “the drumbeats from the White House and our leadership begin to demand our swift consent to the INF treaty.”

Remain on Attack

Gordon J. Humphrey (R-N.H.), who with Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) has been leading the charge against the accord, attacked the treaty.

“It’s a fraud. It’s a dangerous fraud,” said Humphrey. He said the pact deprives the United States of the necessary missiles to deter conventional war in Europe with the threat of a direct nuclear attack on Soviet territory.

Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) endorsed the pact with some reservations, terming it “a political victory for a point of view the West has long espoused, which is we are willing to engage in responsible arms control.”