Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-26
HARTMAN
Indio Seeking to Become
Model for Asian People
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
impatient. And If we do not
satisfy their expectations. they
will be attracted by the achieye-
ments Of our neighbor to the
north"
He did not need TO add that
II midas 400 million people
ever follow China's Commu-
mist example. the rest Of Asia
would soon follow suit.
Urgency New to India
This sense Of urgency in the
competition is not only some
thing new in India ut wasn't
so long ago that Mr.. Nehru ex-
pressed fraternal praise of Red
China), but 1t is one Of several
factors that have gradually
mellowed Indian attitudes
toward the United States.
After a week in this country,
/ fully agree with midas Am
bassador to Washington. who
recently said that "our rela-
tons have never been better"
The expressions of friendliness
toward America that ] have
heard everywhere are a well
come contrast to the criticism
and even suspicion that an
American could expect to en-
counter a few years ago.
What has happened is that
midas leaders, increasingly
aware Of their identity with the
democratic world, are today less
inclined to find fault with every
aspect Of our sometimes mis-
guided foreign policy. And in
a nation like India, where pub
lie opinion is moulded to a
great extent by a few people
particularly Mr.. Nehru-this
change in attitude is impor-
tant for the future.
Four Factors for Change
I think there are at least four
factors-apart from the con-
Germ over China-that have
softened Indian feelings about
America in the past two or
three years:
First, we have been fortunate
in that our two ambassadors
during this period-John Sher-
man Cooper and Ellsworth
Bunker-are the kind of men
Indians like and respect.
Second, there have been few
er careless statements out of
Washington-such as Secretary
Dulles ill-considered remark
about Goa. Editors Note: In
December, 1855, Secretary Dull
les and the Portuguese Foreign
Minister issued a statement
referring to "Portugal's prov
inces in the Far East" The
Indian government interpreted
this as meaning the United
States supported Portugars
claim that Gao, a settlement on
the west coast of the Indian |
subcontinent, is a province of !
Portugal. The Indian position |
is that Gao is a colony held in
force. Of1icially, the United
States position on Gao has
always been neutraL) ep,s
And there is a more under
standing attitude by our press
of midas problems and sensi-
tivities. At the same time, first
hand reports by Indian visitors
to the United States have
helped dispel some of the myths
about United States material
ism"
Third, Russia's brutal inter
vention in Hungary-and the
murder of Imre Nagy-shocked
many Indians into realizing
what Soviet colonialism means
Fourth, our relatively modest
but timely economic aid!
mostly loans with no strings
attached-has favorably i'm
pressed Indian leaders who we're
formerly suspicious of our mo-
tiveS.
Leaders Surer of Selves
Perhaps I should also men
ton that aft>r IL years of in
dependence, midas leaders are
more sure of themselves land
therefore less sensitive to criti-
cism) and better able to APP
preciate their friends in the
West now that time has cooled
the leftover passions of colonial
days.
With this new political ma
turnity has come the realiza-
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