Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-08
Make Haste Slowly

that we have seen on the uprising in
Laos is that "the facts of the situation
are obscure" The facts are indeed
obscure and, this being so, 1t is ridicu-
lous to suggest that Mr.. Khrushchevs
visit to this country should be Cancelled.
If there were clear evidence that
the Kremlin is directing or actively
supporting the revolt against the gov
eminent of Laos the case would be DIFF
ferent. But we have seen no such EVIL
dence, and certainly it is not to be found
In the formal paper put out on Sunday
by our State Department. This paper
indictS the Communist bloc" without
further specification; 1t accuses Moscow
and Peiping Of propaganda efforts de-
signed to confuse world opinion, and it
states that the outbreak in Laos fol-
lowed conferences in Moscow and Pei
ping between Ho Chi Mimi, Communist
leaders of North Wet Nam and Soviet
and Chinese Communist leaders.
Circumstantially, this suggests that
Mr.. KhruShchev may be giving aid and
comfort to the ro-Communist rebels.
The evidence is far from conclusive,
however, and it Is possible that the
Soviet Premier is not in a position to
control events in Laos. In any event,
we see nothing In the State Department
paper or in the news dispatches which
would justify an invitation to Mr..
KhruShchev to stay home.
Consideration should also be given
to other aspects Of the matter, especially
by those who favor armed intervention
in the conflict. One concerns the actual
military situation. The Laotian Defense
Secretary says that two Communist COL
umnS in regimental strength are moving
on the town OF Samneua, and that the
town is in "very grave danger" But
the Laotian general who is in command
in the area says that the military situa-
ton Is much better" and that the
threat to Samneua has been greatly
reduced in the last two days.
Then there is broader considera-
ton. The highest troop figure we have
seen for the Communicated rebels is
$500 men. But the Royal Laotian Army
numbers $4,000 men, supported by some
10000 Village guards" Furthermore,
the United States has been providing
Laos with approximately $50 million a
year in military aid. Why cannot the
Laotian Army deal effectively with the
outnumbered rebels?
Finally, this whole obscure business
is now In the hands of the United
Nations Security Council, which has
voted, 10 to l, for an on-the-spot inves-
tigation in Laos. Unless Russia can make
its attempted veto stick, and 1t does
not appear that 1t will be able to do
so, it should be possible for the coun-
Gil, through dispatch Of fact-flnders, to
put the Laotian crisis In some perspec-
tive. If this is done, and II the estab-
lished facts point to the need Of armed
intervention, we should not finch from
accepting that responsibility and the
risks that go with it. But If ever there
was a case in which haste should be
made slowly, this is 1t. For the prob
lens of successful military intervention
in the jungles Of Laos would be enor-
mously difficult, especially II this should
lead to active Intervention by the Chi
nese Communists from Just across the
border, and the consequences could
make Korea look like parade ground
exercise. So let's not be stampeded into
any hasty, ill-considered and ill-advised
military undertaking