South Bend, January 10, 1982
Intermediary between East and West
German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt who is presently in Washington for talks with the Reagan Administration gave a TV interview today to the well-known commentator David Brinkley. Schmidt has recently come under crossfire by the press for his critical attitude against sanctions. He is trying, as far as it is possible in the present situation, to act as intermediary between East and West. Asked what he wants to achieve by his mediatory proposal, Schmidt replied briefly and unmistakably that by breaking off talks between the United States and the Soviet Union everyone, but especially the Europeans, would be affected. Talking to his Russian partners in Moscow, he also wants to give them to understand that they should not underestimate the resolve of President Reagan. A summit meeting between Reagan and Brezhnev could correct many misunderstandings. Chancellor Schmidt regards the United States as the undisputed leading power of the Western Alliance. He pointed out that in a recent opinion poll in the Federal Republic 80% of his fellow citizens were in favor of friendship with the United States. In Schmidt’s view, NATO is not, despite differences of opinion, in a crisis situation but fulfills its task quite satisfactorily.
Sunday, January 24, 1982
Football Fever
This afternoon America is divided between two camps: One is rooting for the San Francisco 49ers and the other for the Bengals of Cincinnati. Pontiac in Michigan is the venue of the 16th Super Bowl, the championship of American football. The hero of the day is Joe Montana, the quarterback of the 49ers. As quarterback of the Fighting Irish, Montana had already led Notre Dame to a national championship in college football in 1977. As the Super Bowl is shown on television, one can forget the bitter cold winter, which has covered two thirds of the country with a solid blanket of snow. The blizzards of the past two weeks brought the Northeast and the Midwest the coldest temperatures that have so far been recorded in this century.
The San Francisco 49ers won against the Bengals 26:21. By this victory in the Super Bowl, Joe Montana has become a sports legend.