Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-30
Assembly in Wet Nam Fires
Chief Bao Dai> Backs Diem
Rulers Picture
Is Torn Down
And TrompIed

SAIGON, 1ndo- China. April 80
GA revolutionary assembly
today ordered Bao Dali deposed
as Wet Mans chief of state and
proclaimed support for defiant
Premier Ngo Dinh Diem.
The government-backed as
sembly. meeting in the Saigon
city hall. ripped Bao Dai's pic
ture from the wall and trampled
on it. Eighteen small political
parties and groups and private
individuals were represented In
the assembly, which pronounced
Bao Dai deposed as of yesterday
and the present Diem govern
ment dissolved. But the as
sembly directed Mr.. Diem to
form a new government.
(There was no immediate
detail as to the composition of
the assembly, nor was there
any information as to what
legal authority it might have
for its actions. Bao Dali de-
riveS his powers as chief Of
state from a 1949 agreement
with the French which gave
Wet Nam political independ-
ence within the French Union.)
The assembly action came on
the heels of claims by the Diem
government of victory over the
rebel Binh Xuyen in two days
of bloody civil war.
Refused Summons
Mr.. Diem has refused sum-
mons from Bao Dali to attend O
conference oh the French Riv-
iera, where Bao Dali lives. Mr..
Diem felt he would lose his pre-
miership if he left the country
now.
Today Bao Dai sent a second
and last" message ordering Mr..
Diem to France and accusing
him of waging "fratricidal strife
The assembly action followed
renewed expression of support
from the United States for the
Diem government as opposed to
the French and British view that
he should be replaced-
The assembly called itself the
revolutionary democratic forces
Of the nation" It adopted a
resolution assailing Bao Dali as
a puppet created by French
colonialists.
Qualities Criticized
'Bao Dali in himself has none
of the qualities required to be q
leader and director of the peo-
pie" it said.
Because of Bao Dai's puppet
role the Wet Namese people have
suffered for eight years while he
himself thinks only of his per-
sonal interests. carries on a dis
solute life far from his people
and against the higher interests
OF the nation" :.
Gen. Nguyen Van Wy, who was
named by Bao Dali to take over
Mr.. Diem's Nationalist Army. was j,
closeted in the palace tonight
with Mr.. Diem. There was
speculation that a deal might be
in the making which would leave
Bao Dali out in the cold.
sThe French News Agency
said in a dispatch from Saigon
that Gen. Wy had visited Mr..
Diem, had been made a pris-
mer and forced to sign the
Revolutionary Com mittee's
proclamation deposing Bao
Dali
Three Goals Listed
The Assembly intrusted Mr..
Diem with the formation of q
new government and this three
fold goal:
81. Repress the rebels and re-
establish order and security.
20. Recover the total independ-
ence of the country and call for
the withdrawal of the French
expeditionary corps from Wet
Nam.
80. Urgently organize an
elected National Assembly to
turn over power to the people,"
I'VE have the situation COM
pletely in hand both militarily
and politically" spokesman
for the Premier said. For the
moment the Binh Xuyen threat
has been removed. The populas
ton is happy to be rid of them"
The bloody struggle-which
may prove only the opening
See WET NAM Pare "A