Seven Days in May Page #2

with cues and stage directions...

...these proceedings take on all the dignity

of a very bad Gilbert and Sullivan.

Senator, I'd like to hear

what General Scott has to say.

- Thank you.

- So would I.

The audience has spoken, General,

and I beg forgiveness.

I'll make the point again, Senator.

I think signing a nuclear disarmament pact

with the Soviet Union...

...and at worst

an insupportable negligence.

We've stayed alive because we built up

an arsenal and we've kept the peace...

...because we've dealt with an enemy

who knew we would use that arsenal.

Now we're asked to believe

that a piece of paper...

...will take the place of missile sites

and Polaris submarines...

...and that an enemy who hasn't honored

one solemn treaty in its existence...

...will now, for our convenience,

do precisely that.

I have strong doubts.

Hear! That's what I say...

Senator Prentice,

if you would indulge me, sir.

If you would indulge me for a moment, sir.

From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

of Staff I would welcome and respect...

...any judgement having to do specifically

with military considerations...

...but insofar as his political attitudes

are concerned...

...these, I'm sure we could dispense with.

Senator, we're talking about the survival

of the United States.

Is my uniform a disqualification

in that area?

I presume, General,

that an alternative to the treaty...

...that would meet with your approval

would be continuing to build bombs.

Bigger bombs, better bombs, more bombs.

Until at some given instant,

a trigger-happy idiot presses the button...

...and we all go down the drain

waving the American flag.

I'd prefer that to a Pearl Harbor,

when we went down the drain...

I did not address the Senator.

I was talking to the witness.

I'm suggesting there hasn't been

a piece of paper written...

...in the history of mankind that could

serve as a deterrent to a Pearl Harbor.

I wonder why we haven't learned

that lesson by now.

Every 20 years or so we have

to pick ourselves up bleeding...

...and pay for that mistake.

I might add, Senator...

...those mistakes are delivered to us COD

by peace-loving men...

...and bought and paid for

with the lives of other men.

Men in uniform.

Have we ever forgotten to thank you?

I wasn't soliciting your appreciation,

Senator Clark, only your memory.

With all due respect, Senator, might I elicit

one small admission on your part?

That the State of the Union is such

that the current administration...

Thank you.

Well, they listened,

but I'm not sure they heard.

Your testimony was the most effective

defense of a position I've ever heard.

Coming from you, Jiggs,

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