Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-14

Der to the people Of greater Wash ;
ington-have developed an army Of
Is independent battalions and eight
more that operate under French
Union direction. force Of some
$4,000 fighting men,.
This is the bright side Of the pic
ture in Laos and Cambodia. It
should not be allowed to obscure
the gloomy side, however. Neither
country is strong enough to fend of
q Wet Mini invasion, or even hold
up its end with French Union help.
The Communists are proving that
again in Northern Laos this month.
Yet neither country is making what
American observers on the scene
would call a maximum effort. Many
spend as much time opposing the
French as they spend fighting Reds.
Wet Nam: In Wet Nam there is
proportionately much less enthusi-
asrn for fighting the Wet Mimi.
About half of the % million people
in Wet Nam still submit themselves
to Wet Mimi control without signi-
ficant resistance.
One big reason for this, Of course.
is that it's hard to tell Wet Mini
from a Wet Namese. Both have the
same religion and culture. Both are
fed up with the French. And the Wet
Mini pose in the popular guiSe OF
nationalist champions Of independ-
ence from the white mans (particu-
larry the Frenchman's) domination.
Very recently publicity cam
paign to expose the Communists for
what they are has been instituted by
the French and the Wet Namese
leaders. The people are being told
how the Wet Mini kidnap young
men and press them into the Com
munist army; how the Reds COM
mandeer rice and water buffalo;
how they live of the fat of the land
as they fight.
Unfortunately, until recently the
Wet Namese army treated the civil
ian population much worse than the
Wet Mini. Now there is a conscious
effort to avoid antagonizing civilians,
but the Communists still are pop
ular in wide sections of the country.
Contrary to recent reports. the
new Wet NameSe army troops are
not going over to the Reds in great
numbers. but, on the other hand, they
are not impressive for their will to
fight. They probably have no SYM
pathy for communism. But they are
green troops. Besides, they have lit
tie stomach for getting shot at over
a war they don't understand, or at
least see no personal advantage in.
It is among these troops that
Americans think a lot of work can
be done to show the Wet Namese
soldier and his civilian family and
friends their stake in the Indo- China
war.
An Old Formula
The formula for selling the people
Of Indo-China on their own coun-
tries Is now pretty we'll understood:
First, institute a reform program
genuinely beneficial to the rank and
file: second. publicize it to get pop
ular support.
Ex-Premier Nguyen Van Tam Of
Wet Nam. recently ousted because
he disagreed with Bao Dali, had made
some small progress with the. for
mula. He instituted a f1ve-point pro-
gram for development Of national
army. election Of a representative
national assembly, agrarian reform,
freedom Of the press and growth Of
labor unions.
But these plans have not made
spectacular Roadway for two rea-
sons: Half the population and more
than half the territory is under Wet
Mini control and there aren't
enough competent civilian admins
traitors to make the grand plans
work.
When the French get civil admin
istrators educated and organized
and when adequate public relations
techniques are introduced, there will
be more hope for popular support of
the war against communism in
1ndo-China.