Secretary of State George Shultz

Historians may view George Shultz as one of the most significant secretaries of state of our entire history. Several things come to mind:

- It is impressive to observe his low-key diplomacy and his steady imperturbable attitude when asked why he has continued to pursue peace talks in the Middle East when there are so many discouraging signs in that part of the world.

Several political analysts have reported recently that the greatest progress toward genuine peace is made in quiet behind-the-scenes meetings, and perhaps Shultz is accomplishing more than appears on the surface. He seems undaunted in his pursuit and must have some hope for success based on these off-the-record talks.

- He and his staff have made the INF treaty possible, and they worked quietly toward another successful U.S.-Soviet summit meeting this month.

- Recently Shultz delivered a speech at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco in which he demonstrated a willingness to be flexible and innovative--a willingness to rethink old policies: “Times of reinterpretation are difficult. Hard thinking can hurt your head, but we cannot shirk the challenge.

“As Albert Einstein warned after the dawn of the nuclear age, ‘Everything has changed but our way of thinking.’ That’s a sage observation, particularly as we continue to look at the problems of managing our long-term relations with the Soviet Union in a time of dramatic technological and strategic change. So it just may be that nuclear weapons and the strategy of mutual-assured destruction that have shaped our defense policy for decades are part of the old way of thinking. We have to start to wrap our minds around new interpretations and build new realities. If we do, perhaps we can shape a more secure world for everybody.”

It will be interesting to see what Shultz says and does between now and Jan. 20, 1989, and to look back from the 21st Century at his contribution to history.

HOLLY B. WILKINS

San Diego