Battle of the Missiles

It was an expenditure of political capital that Presidents make only a few times in a four-year term, and only for matters they deem absolutely essential. Just five hours before the Senate was to vote last week on spending $1.5 billion for construction of 21 more MX missiles, Ronald Reagan rode by motorcade from the White House to Capitol Hill for a climactic personal appeal on behalf of the controversial weapon. Meeting with Republican Senators over lunch in the Mansfield Room, the President pulled out a $5 bill to pay for his meal and quipped to Majority Leader Bob Dole, "Include a 15% tip."

Dole and the rest of the Senate provided a lot more than that. Late that afternoon they gave approval of the new ten-warhead missiles by the surprisingly wide vote of 55 to 45, a crucial boost for Reagan's campaign to double the size of the nation's MX arsenal. It was a reluctant majority; although most Senators have qualms about the MX, many feared that a vote against it would jeopardize the newly restarted arms talks in Geneva. In part the vote reflected U.S. concerns that two Soviet missiles believed to be mobile, the MX-size SS-X-24 and the smaller SS-X-25, may be nearing deployment.

But the ten-vote margin was primarily an impressive personal victory for Reagan, demonstrating that his clout with Congress remains strong, at least when he takes a personal stand. Conceded Democrat Lawton Chiles, who led the floor fight against the MX: "It's hard to beat the President." The size of the Administration's victory in the Senate greatly enhanced the MX's chances for getting past the Democrats in the House, which is scheduled for a similar - vote this week. Admitted California Congressman Tony Coehlo, one of the strongest MX foes: "Thanks to the wide Senate margin, we probably can't win in the House."

Reagan nevertheless was taking nothing for granted. During his Thursday- evening press conference, he began flogging the House, using the same arguments that had worked so effectively with Senators. "Now is the testing time for the House of Representatives," said the President. "The votes there will answer the question of whether we stand united at Geneva or whether America will face the Soviet Union as a nation divided over the most fundamental questions of our national security." For good measure Reagan ordered Max Kampelman, chief U.S. negotiator in Geneva, to return to Washington and lobby House members on behalf of the MX.

The largest strategic missile in the U.S. arsenal, the MX has sparked one controversy after another over four Administrations (see box). The latest rescue effort waged in its behalf stems from a compromise reached last year with a group of House Democrats led by Les Aspin, the new (since January) chairman of the Armed Services Committee. At the time, Congress voted to set aside the $1.5 billion for production of 21 missiles but to hold the money in escrow for a year and then reconsider the project. One reason: Moscow was then boycotting arms talks with Washington, and the Administration argued persuasively that the Soviets should not be rewarded with a unilateral U.S. strategic-arms concession.