Evening star., 1954-11-14
Mendes- France Visit Shows
U. S. Blessing Still Counts
By Crosby S. Noyes
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star

reached the conclusion that some.
thing drastic must be done to pre-
vent South Wet Nam from falling
under Communist control. Since the
end of the Geneva conference last
June, French policy of "non-in-
reference" in the domestic affairs
of the newly independent Wet Nam
government has had such disastrous
results that Communists are now
reported to be established through
out most of the country. 1t is un-
derstood that Mr.. Mendes-France is
now ready to discuss ways to bolster
Or perhaps replace-the shaky
government headed by Premier Ngo
Dinh Diem and to launch a pro-
gram of economic improvement.
Along the same line, there is the
question of financial support for the
French expeditionary force still re-
naming in Indo-China. The new
French budget includes no money
for this purpose. The implication
is that the United States will be
asked to foot the bill-as it has done
in the past-in the interest of the
common defense. In view of Mr..
Mendes-France's determined efforts
to reduce national expenditures all
along the line, it seems likely that
a refusal by the American govern
ment would mean withdrawal Of the
French troops.
. 'EAST-WEST TALKS-Govern-
: ment officials here are playing down
the Importance of Mr.. Mendes-
Frances promise of parallel nego-
tiations" with the Russians at the
same time as he pushes for ratifica-
ton of the agreements bringing
West Germany into the Western
+, European Union and NATO. It is
pointed out that these negotiations
are already going on in the United
Nations disarmament commission
and through exchanges of diplo-
matte notes which so far have Of
fered no reasonable basis for new
four-power conference. Beyond
this, Mr.. Mendes-France has already
set firm date of December IA for
the opening of the ratification
debate in the National Assembly
and. whatever the Russians do, is
expected to oppose any suggestion
of a delay. On only one point is
the French attitude less categorical
than that of the British or the
Americans: Mr.. Mendes-France
probably will not slam the door
completely on the possibility of talks
between now and final ratification
of the Paris agreements. If the
Russians come through with a con-
crete proposal on German unif1ca-
ton at any time, the French. for
their part. are willing to listen.
Q OFFSHORE PROCUREMENT
Mr. Mendes-France can be expected
to make a strong pitch in Washing
ton for stepping up the rate Of
orders placed with French factories
for purchase of military equipment
abroad. The French, who today
receive an average of $42 million
month from payments on past con-
tracts, are complaining about a
serious showdown in orders placed
this year. OF expected contracts
amounting to $1l5 million this year,
only a small fraction treportedly
about sis million) has been nailed
down so far. There is a tendency
to read political motive into this
slump and to think that the orders
were deliberately withheld because
of uncertainty over EDO. Today the
argument is that since a new plan
for Western European defense has
been agreed on. Frances, offshore
procurement business should quickly
return to normal.
On this point. incidentally, Mr..
Mendes-France may run into a bit
OF resistance from his Washington
hosts. American officials in Paris
say that the showdown in contracts
had nothing to do with politics. II,
anything. it can be better explained
by the performance schedules and
the quality of the equipment being
turned out by French factories, de-
scribed by one top American official
here as dreadful"
Interesting Conversation
In its own way. each of these
problems should provide interesting
conversational material when MIR.
Mendes- s-France meets administra-
ton leaders in Washington this
week. They remain secondary, how
ever to the main motive behind the
trip: To establish as broad a per-
sonal contact as possible in the time
that he has. Secure as it may seem
at the moment, the French govern
ment faces critical period ahead
as the emphasis shifts from foreign
to domestic problems. To see Him
through it. Mr.. Mendes-Fra will
need all the support he can muster.
His trip is convincing evidence that
the friendship and understanding Of
the American people still rates as
real political asset in France today.