  Using a relativistic Dirac-Brueckner analysis the OPEP contribution to the
ground state energy of nuclear matter is studied. In the study the pion is
derivative-coupled. We find that the role of the tensor force in the saturation
mechanism is substantially reduced compared to its dominant role in a usual
nonrelativistic treatment. We show that the damping of derivative-coupled OPEP
is actually due to the decrease of $M^*/M$ with increasing density. We point
out that if derivative-coupled OPEP is the preferred form of nuclear effective
lagrangian nonrelativistic treatment of nuclear matter is in trouble. Lacking
the notion of $M^*$ it cannot replicate the damping. We suggest an examination
of the feasibility of using pseudoscalar coupled $\pi$N interaction before
reaching a final conclusion about nonrelativistic treatment of nuclear matter.
