Evening star., 1953-01-11
New French Premier
Expecied 10 Ask More
Aid for Indo-China
By John M. Hishtower
Asseeia,ed Press SsuH Writer

Asseeioied Press StoH Writer
French Premier Rene Mayer is
expected by o:1icials here to seek
a substantial increase in Amer
ican aid for Indo- China when
he calls on President-elect Els
enhower some weeks after inaug-
uration.
Mr.. Mayer is one of q num-
ber of foreign leaders due to fol-
low the path blazed last week
by Prime Minister Winston
Churchill to Gen. Eisenhower's
door. Mr.. Mayer, as the new
leader Of Americas strongest
ally on the European continent.
is foremost among the post
Inauguration visitors expected
from abroad.
Others. however, may include
not only such leaders OF allied
countries as Premier Alcide de
Gasperi Of Italy and Of poten-
TALLY allied countries such as
Chancellor Kcnrad Adenauer Of
West Germany, but also the
spectacular Marshall Tito Of
Yugoslavia. His Communist state
broke with Russia four years
ago and is now lined UP with the
free nations against Soviet power.
Must Know Intentions.
It is vitality important to the
policies of all the European
governments to know what lines
Of action Gen. Eisenhower will
follow on major foreign prob
lens ranging from relations with
Russia to the level of American
tariffs. But almost all have
q primary concern with some
particular relationship with the
United States. In the case of
France, this comes down to
American aid and specifically
what the United States intends
to do about Indo- China.
There is some belief here that
Gen. Eisenhower may give a
different kind Of answer, from
that which previous French Of
ficialS have obtained. What
ever its basic strategy, the Tru-
man administration has given
the impression Of treating va
rious sectors Of the Far Eastern
struggle against Communism
Korea, Formosa, Malaga and
Indo-C -China-as separate fronts
unrelated except in their de-
mand on American and allied
resources.
Single Grand Strategy.
1nformants have reported.
however, that Gen. Eisenhower
and Secretary of State-designate
Dulles hope to link the several
Far Eastern fights with q single
grand strategy. Such broad
plan would have the effect Of
applying maximum pressure on
Communist China and giving the
Reds a defensive concern for
their security. II effective. this
could hamper Communist actiyi-
ties in Korea, where America
carries the big burden, and in
Indo- China where French and
native forces are fighting the
Communists. @
Such a strategy might mean
increased American aid to Indo-
China, on condition that Frances
effort there be stepped up, and
co-ordinated with an offensive
In Korea to try to end the Far
Eastern fighting.
Costing France 81 Billion a Year.
The war being waged against
the Reds in Indo-C China is cost
ing the French about $1.1 billion
a year. The United States is
helping finance with about one
quarter of this total.
In addition the United States
is furnishing military assistance.
in the form of weapons and
equipment. to French and native
forces in Indo-C China at the rate
of about $3.50 million a year.
The two figures together mean
that the United States for the
past 18 months or so has been
aiding the French and Allied
cause in Indo- China at the rate
of about a billion dollars a
year.
The. Mayer government was
completed at Paris last week.
American officials said they had
no doubt that one Of its major
projects. insofar as the United
States is concerned, would be
to get this Government to share
a greater part of the Indo-China
war costs.
When Mr.. Mayer may come to
Washington is not yet definite.
He is not expected before Feb
riio f.v of the earliest