Turner Calls for Love and Understanding

Grave world problems such as nuclear weapons, overpopulation, and pollution can be solved through increased international understanding and love, R. E. "Ted" Turner told a Harvard Law School Forum audience last night.

Saying that a short-sighted world is passing up simple solutions to its most severe problems, Turner called on a new generation of Americans to dedicate itself to preserving the world from potential disaster.

"You're inheriting a world that is a mess," Turner told the standing-room-only audience in Austin Hall. "But we can change."

Advocating universal friendship, Turner faulted political leaders for lacking a global perspective. "Different political systems around the world are not something to die over," he said. "Why can't we love everybody in the world? I've done it."

Toward that end Turner used his position as the chairman of Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., what he calls the "first global communications network," to organize this summer a U.S.-Soviet athletic contest called the "Goodwill Games."

Turner said that his greatest fear is of nuclear devestation. "We've taken technology and used it on each other," he said.

Turner espoused elimination of nuclear weapons, environmental protection, and active intervention in South Africa. The self-styled reformer also advocated reducing world population through birth control. He opposes aid to starving nations, hesaid, because "Each country has to earn its ownway in the world."

Responding to charges that, as a privatecitizen, he should not try to influence foreignpolicy through actions such as the "GoodwillGames," Turner said, "The Constitution says freepress, and I'm in the press."

"We don't have a king in this country," headded.

Turner believes that increased interactionbetween nations would help to relieveinternational tension. "When you don't have anysocial contact, you become distrustful," he said,adding that the anti-communist hearings led bySen. Joseph McCarthy influenced him during hisearly childhood.

"I hated Communists," he said. "I'd never metany, but I hated them because my father told meto."

Turner, who owns the Atlanta Braves and theAtlanta Hawks, refused to answer questions aboutprofessional athletics. "It's really hard to worryabout sports when there are 25,000 nuclear weaponspointed at you."

The entrepreneur did not see a contradictionbetween personal wealth and public service. "It'seasy to make money," he said. "Lot's of dummieshave done it. There's nothing wrong with mixingthe two."

In 1976 Turner converted a local TV stationinto what he calls a "Super-Station," broadcastingvia satellite to cable stations nationwide. Fouryears later he began the Cable News Network (CNN),a 24-hour news channel. "My station isn'tbroadcast here in Cambridge, but it is in Moscow,"he said.

Turner said he wouldn't enter politics, sayingthat his program of world reform is more importantthan political office in any one country.

Turner responded to criticisms that hisphilosophy is overly optimistic and simplistic."You've got to look at the good side of things,"he said. "We're gonna be dead anyway. Seventyyears doesn't last very long."

"Some people say I'm very naive, but I feelbetter about things now, he said