Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Reds Push On in Laos,
NeutroIists Retreotinq

NeuffOIISrS
VIENTIANE, Laos, April &c
(AP) .-Neutralist forces with
drew to the edge of the vital
PLANE DIES Jarres in eaSt-cen-
trail Laos today, ahead of adj
vancing troops of the pro-Com-
munist Pathet Lao, military
sources reported.
Britain and the Soviet Union
agreed to attempt to bring an
end to fighting that has stirred
up grave concern in Washing
ton and other Western capitals
over Laos neutrality.
Seizure Of the PLANE, strad-
ding one Of the chief north
south routes, would help the
pro- Communist Pathet Lao
solidify its domination OF
Northern Laos, bordering on
Red China, Communist North
Wet Nam and neutralis
Burma.
The military sources said the
neutralist forces of Premier
Prince Souvanna Phouma had
retreated under command of
Gen. Kong lie to set up a new
command post at Muong Pan,
about 3 miles west of their
previous positions.
Low On Ammunition
The sources added that Gen
Kong lie had left a rear guard
of two companies in an attempt
to foreStall the Pathet Lao ad-
vance Of an estimated 10000
Pathet Lao troops.
Gen. Kong LIE was said to
have run low on ammunition
and appealed for more.
Associated Press Photogra-
pher Horst Faas, who flew to
Muong Pan in a supply plane
quoted a neutralist colonel as
saying Premier Souvanna had
given orders to the neutralist
troops not to launch q coun-
terattack.
The officer said Gen. Kong
Les men have 76 Soviet-made
armored cars, most Of them
amphibious, but the neutral
lists are concerned at the lack
of ammunition and supplies fol
the Russian weapons.
Airstrip Under Fire
Mr.. Faas said that the neu-
tralists abandoned the PLANE
main airstrip after it came un-
der Pathet Lao artillery fire
and are now using a grassy
landing strip near their new
headquarters.
Russian built transport
planes flew in gasoline and
other supplies to the new strip
throughout the day and evacu-
ated wounded personnel and
civilian refugees.
The correspondent said that
Gen. Kong lie is attempting tc
establish a mile front
stretching from a point oppo-
site Khang Kay to Lathuong
on the Xieng Khouang -Plaine
road.
The neutraliSJ general is be.
lieved to have five battalions o.
$50 to 400 men each. This con.
trasted with the previous esti
mates that he had 5000 mel
under his command. There havl
been reports that $50 neutralis
troops sympathetic to the Com
munistS had Joined the Pathe
Lao.
Bloody Clash Possible
Defeat of the neutralist
could pit the Pathet Lao in {
bloody clash with the rights
faction headed by Gen. Phoum
Nosavan, a deputy premier
The Pathet Lao leader is Prince
Souphanouvong, also a deputy
premier and half brother Of
Prince Souvanna.
Laos is governed by a neu-
Observation-Disclosures coalition
A Red Chinese broadcast
monitored in Tokyo claimed
that "pro-American reaction.
aries" had provoked the Pathe'
Lao offensive by bombing
Pathet Lao headquarters on th'
PLANE des Jarres last Wednes'
day.
The New China News Agenc!
broadcast quoted a Pathet Lat
radio as saying: This was an,
other fragrant provocation o
the pro-American reactionariei
in the neutralist faction"
Prince Souvanna had beer
Joined by President Kennedy
and other Western leaders in {
call for an end to the fighting
in order to keep Laos neutral
Laotian neutrality was the re-
suit Of the Geneva conferences
which negotiated an end TO tn,
civil war here last year.
Will Fly TO Scene
i Britain and the Soviet Unior
we're co-chairmen Of the con-
ference and 1t was their am
bassadors - Britain's Donald
Hopson and Russia's Serge
AffanaSsev - who Prince
Souvanna called upon for help
A neutralist communique SAID
they had met with Prince