Evening star., 1954-05-01
3 Say Congress
Would Bar j. 5.
Entry in War
Democratic Senators
Doubt 'Go-Aheud'::
Flanders Disuerees
BY the Associated Press

Three Democratic Senators
said today Congress is in no
mood to approve involvement of
United States fighting units in
the Indo- China war.
Senator Edwin C.. johnson,
Democrat of Colorado, took note
of President Eisenhower's news
conference statement Thursday
that this country will not get
INTO war except through the
constitutional process. involving
q declaration of war by Con-
greSs.
"If the President waits for
Congress to give him the go
ahead on sending United States
troops to Indo-C China" Senator
johnson said, "he will wait for
a long, long time There is no
sentiment in the Senate for in
tervention in Indo- China"
Senator Monroney, Democrat,
of Oklahoma said in a separate
interview that mo case has been
made as yet for the use OF
American troops" in ndo-China,
and he added: There is little
likelihood that Congress would
give such authority now"
Holland Is Wary.
Senator Holland, Democrat, Of
Florida, said he would have to
know much more about the
immediacy of the situation lin
1ndo-C -China) before I'd consent
to sending our combat troops
there"
Senator Flanders, Republican,
of Vermont. took a somewhat diff
ferent position. He said this
country and the United Nations
may be forced to act directly, if
the Communists threaten to
overrun Indo-China and thus
endanger all of vital Southeast
Asia.
1--WE can't pass of all our
dangers and troubles to our chill
dren and grandchildren" said
Senator Flanders. 1--WE must face
them"
However, he agreed the
thought of direct intervention
by American combat units in
the Indo-China war now is un-
popular both. in Congress and
the country at large.
Earlier in the week, the House
defeated, 214-37, proposal by
Representative Coudert, Repub-
lican, of New York. aimed at
barring use of American COM
bat forces in 1ndo-China with
out prior congressional assent.
The House beat down the
Coudert proposal a few hours
after Gen. Eisenhower told his
news conference such a curb
which would have applied to any
area not covered by a United
States mutual defense treaty OBJ
legation - would damage the
Presidents flexibility to meet
emergencies.
Big Issue at Geneva.
The Indo-China war has been
q critical issue in the Geneva
conference, from which Secre-
tary of State Dulles is preparing
to return early next week.
Diplomatic sources here expect
that Mr.. Dulles return after
only week at the conference
table will bring to crisis a
cleavage of opinion within the
United States Government over
how strong a policy the United
States should adopt toward
Indo-China.
Mr.. Dulles and Admiral Arthur
w. Radford, chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, are said to
be the "action men" of Indo-
China policy. But there are
others IN and out of Congress
who are not as ready as they
tor direct steps.
Mr.. Dulles policies are based
on the concept of united action
front by nations with a stake in
preventing Communist domina-
ton of Southeast Asia. But so
far, he has been unable to rally
either the domestic or allied
backing he needs to make his
policy an effective threat to Red
encroachment.
UnderSecretary of State WAL
ter Bedell Smith left Washing
ton by special Air Force plane
yesterday to take over from Mr..
Dulles at Geneva.