Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-18
u. 5. and Britain See
Fast Action Needed if
Indo-China Talks Fail
By John N. Hiehtower
Associated Press Staff Writer

Associated Press Stoff Writer
The United States and Britain
have agreed quick. action must be
taken to bolster the battered
anti-Communist front in south
east Asia If Indo-China peace
negotiations finally fall through
at Geneva next Tuesday.
Officials of the two govern
ments say there is no agreement
yet as to what the actions should
be. But a basis for prompt deci-
sion has been laid in American
British studies Of possible moves
ranging from outright inter-
vention In the Indo-C China war to
stepped-up reinforcement Of free
areas like Thailand.
. These studies have been made
in Washington during the last
three weeks by representatives of
the State Department and Brit
iSh Embassy.
London and Washington are
also agreed that whatever is
done must be done with the
maximum cooperation and sup
port Of Asian countries, but be-
yond this point they disagree on
how high price to pay for the
potential support of neutral
countries like India and In
donesia. Washington is not will
ing to delay decisions or modify
plans to WOO the Indians, but
London considers Indian good
will worth a high price.
How Crisis is Sized Up.
Information from the highest
quarters indicates the Indo-
China crisis, with war or peace
hanging in the balance, is meas
ured here as follows:
The chances are probably q
little better than even that the
Communists, led by Soviet For
eign Minister Molotov and Red
China's Chou En- Lai win make
an 11th-hour agreement to end
French Premier Mendes-F France
the 8-year-old war. But French
Premier Mendes- France is ne
gotiating with a gun at his
if he fails to make a peace deal
by midnight Tuesday.
Outside of the Indo China
arena, Mo]otov and Chou and
the Wet Minis Pham Van Dong
are assumed to be weighing
their responses to the Mendes-
France peace drive against two
grand strategy considerations.
l. If they refuse to give the
French acceptable terms they
can upset the Mendes-F France
government, perhaps create po-
litical chaos at Paris, and pos
sibly get new French govern
ment which would make sur
render peace. On this line of
strategy they might also wreck
French chances for ratifying the
European Defense Community
and thereby widen the rift be-
tween France on the one hand
and West Germany and the al
lies on the other.
2. If they agree to what Pre-
mler Mendes-France considers
honorable terms they will not
only get an end to the Indo-
China fighting with a big gain
of territory for the Red world.
They will also bring about gen.
eral relaxation in world tensions,
strengthen the argument of those
who want Red China in the
United Nations, and brighten
their prospects for trade with
the free world. They can also
employ these issues to make
trouble between the United
States and Britain.
Issue Is Up to Reds.
Whether there is to be peace
on terms acceptable to the West
is now clearly up to the Reds.
When Secretary of State Dulles
was in Paris last week, Premier
Mendes-Frante assurer him that
France would not accept surren-
der terms. The French leader Is
determined on nothing less than
a cease-f1re partition of Wet
Nam with safeguards to protect
Southern Wet Nam, Laos and
Cambodia from some future Red
grab.
Mr.. Dulles got agreement from
the French leader that If Under
secretary Walter Bedell Smith
would return to Geneva to
strengthen his negotiating posi-
ton France would not expect
the United States either ID to
guarantee any agreement
reached, or ca to go to war in
1ndo-China automatically If the
talks fail.
Time for Alliance.
If peace Is made there will be
a period of weeks or months in
which to shape a defensive alli-
ance bringing together at least
the three Western powers, the
Philippines, Thailand, Australia
and New Zealand to pledge the
security Of the non-C Communist
regions Of Southeast Asia. This
would cover Laos, Cambodia
and Southern Wet Nam even if
they were not members of the
pact.
The specter of new dangers
II peace is not made has off,
cials on the edge of their chairs
this week end awaiting reports
from Geneva.
Since the Eisenhower-C Church.
Ill talks three weeks ago. high
officials of the State Department
and the British Embassy have
been planning moves that could
be made If the war goes on In
Indo-C China.
The most obvious of these
would be call next Wednesday
or Thursday for an international
conference In Washington. the
immediate formation of an in
formal alliance or coalition.
quick action by Congress and