Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-27

LlGlG, uIOWtlctl AL Vic jazz bCdt
from the cabarets. The talk is
of skiing in the mountains north
Iof the city, the fantastic price Of
oysters flown in from France,
the qualities of the new belly
dancer at the Kit Kat Klub.
One looks In vain here for the
familiar chip on the shoulder
Since winning their indepen-
idence from France in 1916. you
hear. the Lehanese have relaxed
their attitudes toward Western
Imperialism 1t seems quite
normal that four destroyers
from the American 9Th Fleet
should be riding at anchor in
the harbor and that the town is
filled with American sailors.
Important Listening Post
In many ways. Lebanon is an
ideal place to impress ones self
with the complications and con-
tradictions within the six ma
tions that make up the Arab
League. Beirut's position as the
major port OF entry to this
world makes 1t an important
diplomatic listening post
Thoughts and doubts voiced IN
whispers in Damascus, Baghdad
and Carlo find holder and
clearer expression in Lebanon's
more liberal climate. From its
relatively neutral status in the
struggle for leadership in the
Arab world, I: is possible to get
fresh prospective on the clash
of ambition ancient jealousies
and conflicting anxieties that
divide Arabs on nearly every i'm
portant issue.
Lebanon, too. has its own pc
culiar way of looking at these
issues. Ii Egypt can be said To
represent one extreme Of the
Arab spectrum. Lebanon is the
other. The contrast is not simply
between the strongest and most
ambitious nation and the weak
est and most easygoing. A COM
lbination Of factors makes Leb-
anon, from one viewpoint, the
least reliable member Of the
Arab League-from another. one
of the most congenial areas in
the Middle East.
/. Strictly speaking. Of course
Lebanon is not really an Arab
nation at all. It's people, deS-
cended from the ancient Phoe-
nician traders. are a race apart
The political control of the
country is based on a more OF
less equal division between
Christians and Moslems, with
the Christians still holding the
edge on the dubious strength OF
the last national census taken
in 1882.
/ Strong Ties with West
I 1t could in fact be argued that
the Lebanese have more in COM
mon with their Israel neighbors
to the south than with their
fellow members Of the Arab
League. Lebanese are outward
looking traders, bankers and
businessmen. There are more OF
them living in the West--not-
ably in North and South Amer
Iica-than the IA million citi-
Izens of Lebanon itself. Western
money and Western ideas form
an important supplement to the
Icountry's resources. For several
generations, the American Uni
lversity at Beirut has played q
powerful role in shaping the in
ltellectual and cultural life Of
the country.
| In their relations with Israel
1.-THE Lebanese are naturally in
Iclined to take a moderate line
despite a certain amount Of
tough talk. designed to reassure
Iother Arab states of theil
fidelity, every precaution Is
taken to prevent the kind of ex-
Iplosive incident that has become
routine on Israels other from.
tiers. When. a few weeks ago
such an incident did occur with
the blowing up of an Israeli bus
near the border, the Lebanese
government mptly evacu.
Iated 5000 refugees from the
frontier zone and resettled then
lin new camps.
The policy of prudence is un-
iderstandable enough. II lie.
Ibanon speaks no louder thar
necessary, it is because she also
carries a very small stick. Hel
army of 1000 men has no ambi.
ton to test its strength against
the forces of Israel. If war does
come, the most logical maneuvel
would be to withdraw slightly
from the frontier to minimize
the risk of physical encounter
and hope that Israel would bt
too busy elsewhere to bother
Lebanon.
Leaders Want Peace
! In private conversation lie.
banese leaders make no secret
of their hope to be left in peace
and their anxiety over the way
things are going in the Middle
East. With everything to lose II
a new war with Israel, there i.
little doubt that Lebanon woulc
willingly support any reason
able settlement of the conflict.
J, Within the Arab League itself
the Lebanese have watched witt
more than detached interest thu
lstrI1pple for lph derShin thu Z ha,