Evening star., 1963-01-16
Tshombe Caves In

various SpokeSmen and apOlogiStS
for the United Nations have sturdily
maintained that it was no part Of their
purpose to forcibly Subdue Noise Tshom-
be and end Katanga'S secession from
the Congo. But that is what has been
Understanding that, this time, things
stay put for a while. Mr.. TShonbe, in a
statement from his war capital" in Kol-
wezi, has thrown in the sponge. He says
he is ready to end Katanga's secession,
abide by the U. N. plan for Congo reuni-
ficatton, and permit U. N. troops to move
at will through his province.
There was nothing else, really, that
he could do, and still present rational
front to the world. His armed forces,
such as they were, had been over
whelmed and routed by the U. N. troops.
He might have blown up the vital install
lationS at Kolwezi but such a SenSeleSs
act would have availed him nothing.
And he might have retreated to the bush
to carry on Small-scale guerrilla war.
But this, while it would have presented
something Of nuisance to the U. N,
could have had but small military sig
nificance. TShombe, whose failingS do
not include being a fool, evidently
weighed all the considerations and de-
cided to sue for peace. He may be able
to salvage something for himself from
the wreckage, although this is by no
means certain. At any rate, President
KaSavubu and Premier Adoula have
agreed to an amnesty for TShombe and
his followers, which presumably means
they will not be hailed before a Congolese
drumhead court for trial and then shot
as traitors. This is at least something.
Our views on the illegality and i'm
morality of the U. N. military action,
vigorously supported by the United
States, have been set forth at length,
and there is no reason to rehaSh them
here. But at least this warlike effort by
the world peace organization appears
now to have been crowned with success,
and in the mess which prevails in the
Congo this is not to be ignored
1t might be bit premature, how
ever, to start the cheering right away.
For the U. N. and Mr.. U Thant still have
to deal with Mr. Adoula'S Leopoldville
government, and this may take some
doing-aS indicated by the riot in which
Congolese students" sacked the British
embassy this week while CongoleSe po-
lice looked on and did nothing.
The first point in Mr.. Thant'S eight
point plan for reconciliation of the
Congo factions called for adoption of a
new constitution to establish a federal
system Of government, under which Ka-
tanga would have enjoyed substantial
measure Of autonomy. Whether this
latter still holds good, now that Mr.
TShombe has bowed to superior force,
is uncertain. But 1t may not matter
For one OF the most extraordinary as
poets Of this U. NJ military venture has
been that 1t was designed to compel
TShombe to submit to a constitution
which is not in effect. True, 1t was sub
mitted to the Leopoldville Parliament
last September But it was never called
up for vote, perhaps because Adoula
feared both he and the constitution
would be defeated. In any event, the
Congolese legislature has been recessed
until some time in March, and there is
no assurance that it will ratify the con-
stitution upon reconvening.
So the U. ~, If 1t is not to engage
in palpable double-dealing, faces still
another chore. Having subdued Tshom-
be, 1t now faces what may be the even
more difficult task Of bringing the Adou-
Ia regime into line. A large audience
will be watching.