Evening star., 1961-04-05
LUANGPRABANG, LAOS

A few miles out of town,
past the dry, brown rice pad
dies where the road reaches
the foothills at the edge of
the jungle, you come to the
army roadblock.
A sleepy soldier browsing
beside the barrier gets to his
feet as you stop the jeep and
points his rifle at your head.
Another, lying under the
shelter Of a palm-leaf lean
to props himself on an elbow
and asks where you think
you're going.
Khan Pha, the govern
ment agricultural officer, ex-
plains. He is taking this crazy
American reporter out to
where they are building the
dam on the Nam Pa River.
The soldier Stares doubtfully
for a moment, then lowers
his rifle and raises the bar
rier to let you through.
The Nam Pa River turns
out to be a trickling stream
about half the size of Rock
Greek winding its way
through banana groves and
peach orchards. At a place
where it narrowS to pass
through some rocks a group
of about 20 men and boys
are busily at work.
Busy, that is, for Laos in
the middle Of the afternoon.
Ten men and three young
sters are digging a ditch by
the side of the stream. An old
man sits near the water
weaving baskets of palm
frondS to carry dirt away in.
Another crew armed with
chisels and sledgehammers is
drilling holes in the rocks
upstream.
Khan Pa spreads out a
blueprint and explains the
mechanics Of the American
Rural Development Program
for Laos.
The dam, he says, is a
joint project requested by
the headmen of the villages
Of Ma Louang, Nah Nom and
Vieng Sal and approved by
the provincial government at
Luangprabang. The villagers
contribute the labor. The
United States Operations
Mission - the aid-dispensing
group in Laos-provides the
plans, the picks and ShovelS,
the concrete and dynamite.
The provincial government
provides an overSeer.
The dam was started yes
terday. When it is finished
in about 20 days time be-
fore the start of the rainy
season, it will provide water
for some 296 acres Of rice
fields. The project is one Of
five in the area Of Luang-
prabang, one Of 400 projects
Of similar scale approved be-
tween now and June for the
country as q whole.
One Of Bright Features
Small as it Is, the dam on
the Nam Pa River is one Of
the brighter features Of the
rather gruesome story Of
American aid to Laos. There
will, at least, be something
to show for it. The good peo-
pie Of Ma Louang, Pah Nom
and Vieng Sal will have more
rice and perhaps more af-
fection for the United States.
Which is a good deal more
than can be said for some
Of the other results that have
been achieved at high cost
over the course of the last
six years.
To put it bluntly, Laos to-
day and for the foreseeable
future must exist as the ward
Of the American taxpayer.
Since 1855, after the French
pulled out its administration
and handed Laos its inde-
pendence, the American gov
ernment has poured money
into The country at the rate
of some $50 million a year.
1t footS the entire bill for
the country's 29,000-man
army. 1t makes up an annual
deficit of nearly 80 per cent
Of the top-heavy Laotian
government. 1t operates an
aid program which includes,
in addition to rural develop
ment, programs in agricul-
ture education and public
works.
Surely, never in the history
Of American aid programs,