Conference On Cold War Discusses World's 'Murderous Motivations'

Washington editor I. F. Stone last night opened a two-day conference on "Understanding the Cold War" with a plea for a clearer understanding of the "world's murderous motivations" and a completely new attitude towards the cold war.

Outlining what he termed a "gloomy and astringent picture" of the world situation, Stone called for a deflation of "ideological war cries" and encouraged a "greater search for self-knowledge" to find out why men hate and fight.

Stone and H. Stuart Hughes, professor of Government, spoke in Stebbins Auditorium at the opening session of the conference, which is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee.

Stone explained that the world must see its quarrelsome and aggressive tendencies in their real dimensions before jumping at the cold war's solution. He compared the world to a "bunch of juvenile delinquents" where "murder outranks even adultery as the favorite pastime of history."

Declaring that nuclear war, and not communism, is the prime obstacle to peace. Hughes maintained that if the U.S. can realize that fact, "then a lot of answers will fall into place."

In the general discussion period after the two talks, David Riesman '31, Henry Ford II Professor of Social Sciences, supported Hughes' stand that warfare is the primary problem facing the U.S. He also expressed concern at the lack of influence women have in national affairs.

Explaining that women "do not have to defend any masculinity," Riesman said that they often take a less belligerent attitude towards the cold war than men.