The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1958-08-07
sPVACK PRESENTS SOME =
Thoughts On The Middle East

IuVVYHIS VII SuC UHUutc EuSI
ByRobert G. spivack
Msrtha,s Vineyard, Mass.
twas l3years ago. Just about at this time, that my wife and
were driving towards Cape Cod when turned the
radio The said in solemn that American troops
just landed the beaches of Normandy was "DDay and
order to attack had been given by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower
The man hailed everywhere as the Lberator Of Europe
Now nearly decade and half later the same man Pres
dent Of the United States and this time he has ordered American
troops into Lebanon The decision undoubtedly hard one but
now hardly anyone halls Ike the lbeator Of the Middle East
congress and in the United Nations there many msgvings
about the American decision and many people akng What
the cause which We may be asked to fight? IS it worthy
|caUse?" =
has been hard year in Washington and we are here for
short vacation But its difficult to keep your mind off
Capital and in the eastern Mediterranean matter how bad
Fly you may need rest Ny plan invite guest COL
umnsts to take over for few weeks and later shall
this p But the developments abroad seemed call for COM
ment even though am not top OF each astbeakng
would be if lWere back at the CAPITOL
Sometimes though there advantage in being away from
forest IN order to be able to the trees And the reactions
Of intelligent people who do not profess to be experts are very
often valuable than the iaded comments Of those who have
seen so many crises they are inclined to meet each with
la yawn.
Against this background then let me pass on several com
Iments heard from people here this island resort Twice with
liz hour after the first broadcast disclosing that the Ma
rnes had landed Lebanon friends asked What's behind a2
is just scheme to get Bernard Godne and Sherman Adams
loft Page One?"
And the second comment heard frequently although ex-
pressed in different ways, was this e1sn
rs the recession so bad the government has TO embark on
foreign adventures in order keep things under contro?"
THE OVERRIDING FEAR These comments came of course
from people with knowledge Of history But my Judge
ment they also reflect growing tendency to look beneath the
surface and general refusal to accept federal announcements at
face value
But the comment heard most often reflected neither cyni
lcsm skeptc much fear leading real estate
agent here who also happens to be active Republican poce
iasked
us this to be another Korea And that of course is what
worries many Mothers
Are about witness another test Of strength between
East and West? Is this perude bigger conflict? Or the
president wise Jumping before Naser and his Communist
allies could do damage the Vests position? BY prompt
ton the President preventing Middle Eastern MI
nch? And the is yes could turn out that this
ton will prevent World War III?
To all these questions it's possible only to hazard guess
How far we are prepared 90 and how far Nasse and the Rus
SLAMS may 90 is purely speculative
watch this crisis develop Tor vans these points ought
Ito be kept in mind constantly:
This country under Secretary Dulles proddng moved
quickly only in where huge American oil interests in
voed Dulles whose old law firm represents Of the worlds
biggest oil companies, has hardly ever moved SO rapidly
The Soviet Union hasmUch to gain and very little lose by
stirring up the fires Of Arab nationasm but Nasses close re
lions with Marshall Tito must worry the Kremin