Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-14

battle and American troops m
say, a nuclear war carried t
China would be the logical
course of action by this coun-
try.
Most of all, the military lead
ers do not want to get begged
down in another Korea. AS one
Navy spokesman put it:
IF we are ordered in there,
then let's go in fast, clean it
up fast and get out fast with
some sort of settlement we can
accept"
To do this, it is argued, it
would be necessary to use tao
teal nuclear weapons, first as
a threat. and second to cut
Communist supply and COM
munication routes in Commu-
mist territory. If the insurgents
are organized in North Wet
Nam and supplied Red China,
then these countries should be
the targets.
Read to Train Laotians
All this, military leaders said,
is something for civilian heads
of the American Government
to decide. They emphasized
that they are prepared to
train Laotians or fight a re-
strictive Korea-type war or use
Observation-Disclosures is ordered.
But the best bet at first, they
said, is to help the Laotian
forces do the job.
At present the Laotian army
some $4,000 soldiers being in
creased by 1000 men, in addi-
ton to about 10000 home
guard" soldiers being increased
by 1000 mems good by
Southeast Asia standards. But
it cannot cope with the guer-
rilla Communists bands now
operating in Northeast Laos.
Hit-and- Run Red Raids
The insurgents have a
strength estimated at from
1900 to 1900 men. They are
well armed with hand weapons
and mortars. American Off
cials are convinced that these
men are at least equipped,
trained and directed by Com
munist North Wet Nam. Out
side Communists troops may
actually be fighting in Laos.
After some hit-and-run raids
starting in July, the insurgent
forces started a four-pronged
drive into Laos from the North
Wet Nam border on August 80,
They made quick Roadway
through the almost trailless
mountain jungles until a few
days ago when the United Ma
tons Security Council voted
against Russian objections-to
send observers to Laos.
With U. N. observers on their
way, military operations have
slowed down. 1t is expected
that the war may stop entirely
as long as the United Nations
Is on the scene.
But if the Communists decide
now or later to pursue their
fight, what then?
Beef up the Laotian army,
the Pentagon says. Under the
existing complex political sit
uation in Laos, only French
troops are allowed to give tech
nical training to the Laotian
army. This country has some
$50 to 300 persons, civilians
with military backgrounds, in
Laos, but they are there only to
supervise use of American aid
money and material and to
teach Laotians how to handle
American weapons.
The Pentagon says it cannot
now send troop-training experts
to Laos, as is done in many
other small countries request
ing American help.
But the State Department
believes that restrictions i'm
posed by the Geneva accord of
1854 no longer are binding, and
if this country is asked by Laos
to take over all training OF
troops, then it will. The United
States is committed by treaty
to help Laos against invaders
If Invasion is Full Scale
The hope is that Laotiar
forces can be increased, given
hand and light support weap-
ons, communication facilities
even an airlift--and be trained
quickly to use them.
But what If the North Wet
Nam army large. we'll.
trained and equipped force fol
that part Of the worlds