Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-07
While Time Runs Out

Your editorial az June 28, on "While
Time. Runs Out. points the way to
sound American policy In Southeast
Asia. We cannot permit our NATO part
ners to destroy In Asia the principles
which are our only stifcation for per-
severing in the NATO alliance.
What right do our French allies have
to trade the free peoples Of northern
Wet Nam to the Communist world so
that French hegemony in southern Wet
Nam may be preserved? What Is our
position and interest In this issue?
First We must recognize. as you sug-s
gest. the necessity to act in our own
interest. When President Truman inter-
vened in Greece in 1947, he was xoundly
criticized for not acting through the
United Nations. He acted promptly and
effectively and retrieved q situation
which had deteriorated under the
Greek-British alliance to the point
where the British were forced to with
draw from the country He proved that
the United States can do to communism
what no concert Of colonial powers can
do. The free peoples Of the world still
have faith in America. This lesson has
special application in mdo- China.
Greece showed also that people who
are apparently submitting to Commu-
mist terror under weak and yacillating
leadership viii unite to fight for, their
own independence when they are backed
by the determined support Of the United
States. The Vietnamese need no more.
France has demonstrated that she
cannot or win not iquidate the Commu-
mist rebellion. Under these circum-
stances. the clear obligation Of the
French trustee Is to create the condi-
tons under which the Vietnamese can
win. This requires France to grant inn
mediate and complete independence
outside the French Union and to help
the new Vietnamese government to
lquidate the Wet Mimi. It requires
France to keep French troops In the
field until other nations Of the free
world can bring their support to the
new government Wet Nam.
What. then. Is our American position
and obligation in Indo- China?
First. we accept the unity Of free
peoples. Our principles do not commit
us only to protect English speaking
peoples nor only Europeans. The free
world is one body; and we cannot afford
to sacrifice q foot In Asia or an arm
in Africa.
Nor do we accept the plea that we
cannot be safe everywhere. We can be,
: II we act wisely. This is problem Of
political action. not Of military action.
The political weapons Of the free world
are unbeatable, If we but give them a
chance.
We must reject the all-too- common
criticism Of the French colonial admin
istration. The French have given the
Indo-Chinese peoples standards OF liv-
ing. OF orderly government. and of free
dom and justice which the Russian
people have not achieved in IS years Of
Communist rule. We need not claim
that the French administration Is per-
feet nor that our American Government
Is perfect. We should recognize, however,
that for Americans to attack the French
colonial administration is unjust, ir-
responsible, q form of political insanity.
The Vietnamese should have immediate
and complete independence not because
the French administration has been bad
but because the time has come when
the Vietnamese must rule themselves.
The Vietnameses soldiers have per-
formed ,magnif1cently when one con-
siderS their limited training and their
4 association with mercenaries. They
show every indication that they can
handle their Communist problem Just
as the Greeks did, If we give them aid
and q military mission and If we keep
the Chinese Communists from interven-
ing.
We must agree that we shall immedi-
ately execute bilateral mutual defense
treaty with the new government Of Wet
Nam and that we shall provide the
training mission and the industrial
power to support people who are pre-
pared to fight for their own independ-
ence. We must agree also that we shall
fight If Communist China intervenes
with its armed forces.
Is this too much to ask Of us? II 1t
Is, then freedom is just too much
trouble. You can be sure the Communist
Chinese have given such assurances to
their agents In Indo- China.
As you have suggested. there is clear
course Of action In support Of our own
interests and principles in Indo- China
This can be our greatest victory In the
cold war, II we have the courage to seize
IT. T. A. L.