Evening star., 1954-04-17
Congress Cool
To Nixon Plan
On |ndo-China
Use of GIs as Lost
: Resort Proposed
By Vice President
Associated Press Stoff Writer

Vice President Nixon says
American troops might be used
in last-ditch effort to save
Indo-China. The statement
brought prompt challenges from
both Republican and Democratic
lawmakers.
The Vice President said he
does not believe such action will
be necessary because he thinks
Indo-China can be saved from
the Communists by other means.
But in the unlikely event that
French forces withdraw, he said,
this country would have to send
in troops.
Mr.. Nixon expressed his views
in an off-the-Fecord address to
the American Society of News
paper Editors. He later permitted
neWsmen to report his remarks
on condition they not be attrib-
uted directly to him.
News stories reporting his re-
marks first identified him as a
high administration official.
Named by Other Sources.
But he was connected with
the statements from several
sources. The London Times in
cluded in its story a statement
that the only high administra-
ton source making speech
here yesterday was Mr.. Nixon.
The Niles (Mich.) Daily Star
said Representative Hoffman,
Republican, of Michigan, ex-
pressing opposition to the state
ment, had identified Mr.. Nixon
as its source.
Mr.. Nixon himself was not i'm
mediately available for COM
ment on the "leaks."
The disclosure that Mr.. Nixon
was the administration source
in question lent added weight
to the expression of policy, since
he sits in with the National Sc
curity Council and at cabinet
sessions.
Whether his frank discussion
of the issue would have reper-
cussions within the administra-
ton remained to be seen. Mr..
Nixon has acted as spokesman
for President Eisenhower on
several recent occasions.
In outlining his views, Mr..
Nixon repeated Gen. Eisen-
hower's words that I'VE cannot
afford any retreat in Asia"
Pressure for Truce Seen.
His statement included a pre-
diction that the French govern
ment is going to be putting on
the pressure" to negotiate an
Indo-C China truce with the Com
munists at the April 26 Geneva
conference.
1t was his opinion, the off,
cial said in a clear indication
of American opposition to such
a move, that such a truce
would deliver Indo- China to the
Communists.
Although the officials declara-
ton was regarded in some quar-
ters as rejecting a National
Security Council decision, this
was questioned Immediately by
Republicans as we'll as Demo-
Gratis.
Senator Hickenlooper. Repub-
lican of Iowa, a Senate Foreign
Relations Committee member,
said in an interview he doesn't
believe any decision has been
made to use American troops in
Indo-China under any circum-
stances.
IF we have such a policy. I'd
like to know about it," Senator
Hickenlooper said, "but I don't
think we have"
Long Cool to Idea.
Senator Long, Democrat, of
Louisiana, a former Armed Serv-
ices Committee member, said no
United States troops should be
sent to Indo-China without a
congressional resolution approv-
ing it. And he said he would
vote against any such resolution.
President Eisenhower told his
news conference on February 10
that no one could be more bit
terly opposed to getting the
United States involved in a hot
war in Indo-China than he was.
Consequently, he said, every
move he authorized was calcu-
lated. as far as humans could
do it, to make certain that does
not happen.
The storm over the Indo-
China statement overShadowed
a controversy over President Eli
senhower's pledge yesterday that
the United States will maintain
a fair share of troops in Eu-