Gorbachev and Changes in East Bloc

Time magazine is on the mark by naming Gorbachev as the Man of the Decade. What separates Gorbachev from other world political leaders is his vision for the future. In addition to understanding the futility of continuing the Cold War, he realizes that the policies of this century, which have resulted in over 230 wars and the death of 100 million people, cannot be allowed to continue. His conviction that we must “overcome outdated military doctrines,” and “artificial barriers between people and states,” is key to building a world community for the 21st Century.

In Moscow at a meeting with representatives of Western peace organizations, I heard Gorbachev say that “we must look each other in the eye, trust each other, meet halfway, and move on to build a single civilization.” He stressed that “this requires new ideas to build a better world which benefits all peoples.”

Gorbachev’s insistence that we must support a stronger United Nations with international law, and build a “nuclear weapons-free, nonviolent world,” will make him the leading candidate in the year 1999 for the Man of the Century. The challenge in this country is to elect political leaders who have the wisdom to follow Gorbachev’s lead.

DOUGLAS MATTERN

Palo Alto