Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-01-21

new crisis at Berlin or else
where.
What the great powers
should do. Mr.. Kennedy said,
is explore those problems
which unite us instead Of be-
laboring those problems which
divide U.S."
He called for serious and
precise proposals for the in
spection and control Of arms"
arguing that both the allied
and Soviet blocs are overbur-
dened by the cost Of modern
weapons. Several months prob
ably will be required to develop
such proposals.
Both sides could work to-
gether in the development Of
science, including the conquest
Of space, Mr.. Kennedy de-
clared, and both could eventu-
ally undertake to create a new
world Of law" in which peace
and justice would be secure.
Must Devise Programs
The difficult task now be-
fore the new administration is
to devise programs by which
these general statements of
purpose can be translated into
specific proposals for action.
The same thing holds true
for President Kennedy's pledge
to work in close unity with
allied countries, to support the
freedom Of the new nations Of
Asia and Africa, to strengthen
the United Nations and to Gre
ate a new alliance Of progress"
with "our sister republics" Of
the Western Hemisphere.
With Secretary of State Dean
Rusk and other cabinet mem
bers taking office today, and
with the detailed job of organ
izing the new government still
ahead, no one here now knows
how long the task of developing
new plans will take.
The only negotiation pending
in the disarmament field Is the
Geneva conference on a nu-
clear weapons test ban. In
suspension since late last year,
this conference is scheduled to
resume February z. State De-
partment officials expect the
Kennedy administration will
have to seek a delay.
The United Nations General
Assembly, which recessed late
last year, is due to return to
work March Z. A delay in that
meeting has not been suggested,
so the new administration has
a month and a half to get ready
for the whole range of prob
lens normally before the AS
Sembly.
Must Move Rapidly
In at least one crisis MIR.
Kennedy and Mr.. Rusk have no
choice but to move ahead rap
idly. The conflict In Laos,
which plagued the closing
months Of the Eisenhower adj
ministration. continues I'M
abated. The United States is
supporting the pro Western
government of Premier Boun
Gum. Russia claims the legal
premier is Souvanna Phouma,
who fled the country last
month after warning factions
destroyed the ability of his
neutralist regime to maintain
order.
Communist arms have been
delivered to rebel forces from
neighboring North Vietnam in
Soviet planes. The State De-
partment fears a Red triumph
in Laos would endanger all
Southeast Asia. Armed United
States training planes have
been made available to the pro-
Western forces. |
But more than a clash with
Communist forces is involved in
Laos. For the United States,
Britain and France have diff ,
fered among themselves over
how to handle the situation.
Though United States and
British Cooperation is now
much stronger. the Laotian
crisis still presents an imme-
diate test of Mr.. Kennedy's
declared aim of drawing the
aliens together in the closest
possible unity.
State Department officials
believe the Cuban crisis, inten-
sified by a break in relations
early this month, will not re-
quire the most urgent atten-
ton from the new administra-
ton.
Castro Buries Hatchet
This seemed to be backed up
by Cuba's Fidel Castro.
For our part" Mr.. Castro
said last night, 1--WE are going
to begin anew" with the Ratchet
buried for the present.
And from Mr.. Khrushchev
there was this:
1--WE are confident that, NOV
ing step by step, it is possible
to remove the existing suspicion
and mistrust, to grow the seeds