The Nation - News from Dec. 11, 1988

Americans are generally sympathetic to the changes in the Soviet Union being undertaken by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, according to a Gallup telephone survey for Times Mirror Co. conducted before Gorbachev’s visit to the United States last week. By a margin of better than 2 to 1, voters believe the Soviet Union currently is undergoing major changes (65%), rather than simply a change of leadership (28%). Majorities of all political persuasions and from widely varying walks of life subscribe to the national consensus. Three-fourths think the Soviet Union will be more likely (76%) rather than less likely (16%) to live in peace with its neighbors in the future. Among those who perceive Gorbachev as undertaking structural changes in Soviet society, almost 9 in 10 (87%) think the chances for peace in the region are greater.