Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-18

recruiting young Wet Namese to
join Ho at Canton. where the future
Wet Mini leader was a fugitive
from the French. Dong attended
a Communist school at Whampoa,
also in China. and then returned to
Indo- China. where the French ar
rested him for Communist activi-
ties. On his release from prison six
years later he disappeared for three
years, and it is generally believed
he spent those years in Russia.
After a period as a Communist
journalist and agitator. Dong was
given an important administrative
post in the movement by Ho.
When the japanese seized Indo-
China early in 1912. Dong organized
a spy network against them in
Wet Nam which also served to give
the Wet Mimi a foothold in the
country which they used TO seize
control of the north after the Jap
ane6e surrender. He entered the
cabinet after election to the Ma
tional Assembly in 1916 and moved
steadily upwards. His truculent at
titude at Fontainebleau. where he
went with Ho to discuss political
settlement with the French, was
main reason why the conference
ended in failure.
Dong was charming and afiable,
when he received me in the beauti-
fully appointed drawing room OF
the former governor Of Hanoi. Get
ting to see him had not been easy.
1t was the first interview he had
granted to foreign correspondent
since he took over the prime min
istership from Ho. A British col
league mad been cooling his heels
here for a week, waiting for an 4ap-
pointment, but Dong received me
the second day ! was here.
We chatted for an hour over iced
fruit juice. red wine and local ciga-
rettes. He speaks excellent French.
but preferred to talk in Wet Namese
through an interpreter whom sus-
pected was an American educated
Chinese. He was dressed in the
uniform common to all Wet Mimi
khaki trousers, and khaki jacket
fastening tightly around the neck.
Aside from the quality of the ma
terial, his shoes. and his air of be-
ing somebody. the only thing to diff
ferentiate him from a common SOL
der was the fact that he as an Of
ficer had four pockets in his jacket.
Those under officer rank have only
two.
Many competent observers in
Indo- China have told me that the
Communists never grant q request
for an interview unless they can see
some advantage accruing to them
selves. Obviously, then. Dong saw
me because he or his advisers hoped
to get their point Of view reported
favorably In the North American
press.
However. the ground rules Dong
laid down for the interview seemed
designed to produce a situation
wherein the voice would be mine
but the words Dong's. He would not
permit me to attribute anything to
him, but he gave me permission to
use what he told me as background
material"
Background Moteriof
Here is some background mate
rial:
Q The regime in South Wet Nam
has been entirely responsible for
preventing the movement of refu-
gees to areas north Of the demarca-
ton line. The Democratic Republic
Of Wet Nam has been doing its ut
most to facilitate various exchanges
between the north and the south;
has been struggling for the estab-
lishment Of normal relations in the
economic, political and cultural
fields, and even in the exchange Of
athletic teams. The people eagerly
long for such exchanges. Only that
matters. The numbers of people
who may move from one side OF
the demarcation line to the other
doesn't matter.
. The demand of President Ngo
Dinh Diem of South Wet Nam for
supervision Of any all-Viet Nam
election by United Nations troops
is not new. 1t was put forward at
the 1854 Geneva Conference, and
was rejected. So far as the in
transigence of the Saigon regime
is concerned, the DRVN hopes that
Great Britain will fully discharge
it's responsibilities as co-chairman
of the conference. Certainly the
DRVN is not assuming that there
will be no election next July.
o 1t is not important to dwell on
methods in considering the ques-
lions OF strengthening the economy
Of the DRVN and improving the
living standards Of its people.
Everything which it is important
to know in this regard is stated In
the report on economic policy
which the government made to the
National Assembly in September.
n UNopovyain Y,nlinv far n retiYiitad