Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-20
Mendes-Frunce Policies on Indo-C Chino, EDO
Nav Force Reorientution Of Vests PIuns

The postwar periods gravest chal-
lenge to American leadership OF the
free world coalition is taking shape
in Paris this week end. It has been
precipitated by Frances stunning
decision last Thursday to entrust its
government to M. Pierre Mendes-
France, a Radical Socialist who
hopes to get peace from the Com
munistS in Indo-C China within four
weeks. He formed his cabinet yes
terday.
Many in this country look upon
M. MendeS-France as an advocate
of an Indo-C China peace-at-almoSt-
any-price. He has also indicated he
thinks France is contributing too
much to European defense, and
wants the National Assembly to &C
cept a compromise on bringing
Germany into the proposed Euro
pean army.
The European Defense Commu-
nifty and q strong stand against
Communist expansion in Asia are
pillars of American foreign policy,
of course, and a sharp change in
the French attitude toward them
such as M. Mendes-France proposes
might force q sharp reorientation
in the free worlds cold war plans.
Winnie Ike ToIks
Perhaps 1t was a premonition OF
this unexpected French move that
caused President Eisenhower and
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
to arrange informal Washington
talks to begin next Friday. Secretary
of State John Foster Dulles and
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
whose relations are reported to have
deteriorated perceptibly at Geneva.
also will sit in.
These conversations will range the
wide, world, no doubt, as the Presi-
dent has pointed out. But there can
be no Disgusting the intention OF
these world leaders to consider the
great crack in the Indo-China dixie
and perhaps do "a little rethinklng
about bringing Germany into Eu-
ropean army. There have been loud
and undoubtedly well-founded hopes
on both sides of the Atlantic that
the solidity Of the Anglo american
front can be reafirmed. The test
will come on Southeast Asia, where
the United States is more eager to
step in with united action" than
Britain has been up to now.
War went on, meanwhile, in
Indo-C China, the hottest corner OF
the globe. French and Wet NameSe
troops were withdrawing from I'M
tenable outpoSts to ground they
hope to be able to defend II and
when Wet Mini Gen. Vo Nguyen
Clap kicks of his Red River delta
offensive.
Gloomy MiIitory View
Military representatives Of the
United States, Britain, France, Aus
tralia and New Zealand, who COM
pleted q survey of the Indo-C China
situation recently, were reported to
be gloomy about Franco-Viet Nam
csc prospects. But Gen. Clap. prob
ably sensitive to the change in gov
ernments in France. held back the
assault. Possibly he saw less reason
to rush in with q costly frontal at
tack when there seemed to be
better possibility of getting sub
stantially what he wants across
the table in Geneva.
The Geneva conference closed
down half its operation-the Ko-
rea phase-Tuesday after seven
fruitless weeks. The 1ndo1 China
conversations, meanwhile, made
little visible progress. mainly be-
cause of the French cabinet crisis.
M. Mendes-France was due to ap-
pear in Geneva this week to take
over French negotiations himself.
Chances for peace in Indo-C China
were judged to have increased. al
though it was not clear at what
price an armistice could be attained.