Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-02
Quiet Determination
OF India Impressive
BY RICHARD CRITCHFIELD
Contributing Writer

~ SANh u SAAA AGLD
Contributing Writer
NEW DELHI. - The same day
, Prime Minister Nehru told the
Indian Parliament that the Chi
nese had ceased firing, he man
/, aged In the late afternoon to re-
view a parade Of hundreds Of
Delhi schoolchildren at the foot
ball stadium here,
i Standing nearly an hour in the
chilly autumn twilight, Mr.. Nehru,
slightly stopped now and with the
pockets of his plum colored ach-
kan sagging with papers, gravely
returned the salute of the wide
eyed children, who marched by
with rigid swinging arms and
clenched fists.
Climbing to a podium to speak,
he paused for a full half-minute
to turn his eyes skyward and
watch, as absorbed as a boy, the
nervous flight of a flock Of SPAR
rows against the evening sky.
Then in silence he looked for
q long time, 1t seemed searching
ly, at the upturned faces of the
boys and girls. Finally, he told
them In his soft, husky voice that
the war against the Chinese was
going to last a long time and they
must be prepared to fight and
sacrifice everything.
An old man at the end of a
long day whom the children adored
and called uncle" q man who
believed in what he said, Mr..
Nehru seemed reluctant to leave,
though the field was almost in
darkness. He paused as he went
out, chatting with some children
and their mothers. Then he was
swallowed UP by the Gordon of
security guards and driven off in
his black limousine to make a de-
cision the whole world was wait
ing to hear.
News Of Ceose-FiFe
Since early that morning every
one in the capital city, from half
naked coolies to trim businessmen,
had gathered around hotels and
shops where radios relayed news
of the ceasefire. Seated on curbs,
ragged laborers squatted around
men who read the news aloud
from Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi pa
pers. Crowds gathered before
newspaper offices to stare at huge
headlines emblazoned with head
lines announcing the ceasefire.
, One could hear the same
phrases echoed in the bazars and
coffee houses. Its a trick"
What about the thousands Of
jawans dead?" and 1--WE shouldn't
trust those Chinese devils"
The Chinese Communications
for it hardly constitutes an offer,
left a flood Of questions unan-
swered.
Would the Chinese withdraw
December / as they saidP Could
India re-establish its recently lost
posts in the proposed 40 miles Of
no-man's land without provoking
a return to the fighting? Should
India ignore China's proposal en-
tirely and go ahead risking the
onus Of starting the fighting
again? Would any kind of mean
ingful negotiations with the Chi
nese be possible now?
These decisions lay with Mr..
Nehru.
No one here seemed fooled by
the Chinese proposals. though
many worried how they might
look to unwary or indifferent OBJ
servers outside India.
Lives Already Lost
One official said he was afraid
the peace offer" might obscure
the fact that thousands of lives
have already been lost from the
unprovoked Chinese attack.
TITS no offer but an ultimatum
made by an invading army from
q position Of strength" he said.
"China now seems to be threat
ening India with peace"
II one of Peking's motives for
the sudden ceasefire was to create
confusion among midas people
and tempt them in their relief
towards a compromise. they have
misjudged.
Gradually over the last month
a far-reaching change Of mood
has gripped this country. A ma
ton conditioned to peace has been
shocked into the reality of what
war with an INSCRIPTIONS. enemy
means.
In the early days Of the con-
flict, there was a certain cava-
lier quality In the patriotic fund
raising. Steam was blown off in
roaring demonstrations against
the Communists, often becoming
street fights with both sides
throwing stones. People talked
about the war as "a wonderful
chance to forge national unity"
Society women served tea to vol
unteers at recruiting stations as
photographers snapped. Politicians