Evening star., 1963-01-08

Inc role OF the United
States in the smashing of
Tshombe and the forcing of
Katanga into an unwanted
and unrealistic union with the
Congo has been one of un-
principled force and a major
exercise in managed" news.
This role has brought to light
not only the fumbling, puz-
zling incompetence Of Mr..
Kennedy and his White House
and State Department asso-
ciates, but also the lack of
morality and integrity of
these same men-a behavior
pattern which, regrettably,
seems to have become the
norm by which they operate.
While there are many
examples Of the moral and
intellectual decrepitude Of the
Kennedyites, perhaps the best
is the action taken against
Michel Struelens, who serves
or who did Serve-in New
York as information officer
for the anti-CommuniSt Gov
ernment of Katanga. Struel-
ems became persona non grata
with the United States Gov
ernment in late 1861 and was
told he would have to leave
the country. This action Gre
ated a loud protest from some
members of Congress and led
to an investigation into the
matter by the Senate Internal
Security Subcommittee.
Recently. when once more
the State Department moved
against Struelens, the Senate
Subcommittee published a
lengthy report on the previous
episode proving the State
Department had tried to
silence Struelens for one rea-
son only: he was in disagree
ment with State Department
doctrine. The subcommittee
discovered, as 1t went along,
that almost everything the
Department had to say on the
subject was either a mis-
representation or an evasion.
Examples were the issuance
of a statement accusing
Struelens Of involvement in
an effort to "bribe" the Gov
ernment of Costa Rica into
recognizing Katanga. This
charge was denied by Costa
Rican officials and no evi-
dence was ever produced to
support it. The net effect is
that United States officials
sought to silence a dissenting
voice, and in order to cover
up the silencing, it resorted
to distortion, half-truth, and
several outright falsehoods.
F. w. Barnes.
-
I want to again congratu-
late you on your reporting OF
the Katanga situation. I have
wondered how soon you would
have a reader reaction. The
letters in the January 4th
Star show a healthy sign.
We have been missionaries
to the Congo for the past
II years and are now on a
one-year furlough. The past
four years we're spent in the
city Of Elisabethville. Life
under the African admins
tration Of the Katanga
province has been very sat-
isfactory. 1t has raised our
admiration of African lead
ership. We feel that this
African leadership has not
been sufficiently appreciated.
Many reports now indicate
that Tshombe is resisting in
tegration with the rest Of the
Congo. Our observation has
been that he and his people
wish TO be a part Of a Congo
as stable and peaceful as the
Katanga province has been
under its African leadership
in which all tribes partici-
pate.
The U. N. forces had a
friendly relationship until
they represented military
force. The resistance has been
stirred by what seemed TO
them a threat OF foreign
domination.
We want 10 see the U. N.
succeed as a force for peace
among nations. We do not
feel that shedding Of blood
and military force can unite
people and make them love
one another. l read not long
ago that the first casualty Of
war is truth.
Rev. Everett L. WOodcOck.
Damascus. Md.
The merciless suppression
OF the freedom OF the Katan-
ganese people by the u. N.
forces is an act which is
totally against the principles
of decency and humanity