U.S. STRATEGY IN VIETNAM

More bombings and fixed elections

In response to the demonstra-
tive unrest in South Vietnam,
Washington appears to have
evolved a two-pronged policy:

@ Military escalation: the
bombers came closer and closer
to Hanoi and Haiphong, and there
was increasing talk in Washing-
ton of swiftly expanding the U.S,
occupation force in Vietnam,

@ Political manoeuvering:
State Department spokesmen ap-
parently acquiesced in the South
Vietnamese popular demand for
election of a civilian govern-
ment to replace the military dic-

tatorship — but were moving
to guarantee that the election re-
turns were acceptable to the U.S,

The U.S. objective of* rigging”
the elections — if they are, in
fact, held at all — is furthered
by a 10 point program, which
was adopted earlier this month
by a handpicked national political
convention in Saigon and accepted
by Premier Nguyen Cae Ky’s
regime as its guideline in arrang-
ing the balloting for aconstituent
assembly,

One point contains the proviso
that “the government take mea-

Canarde Enchaine (Paris)

JOHNSON—THE PEACE PILOT

IN MEMORIAM

Steve Achtemichuk
Passed Away April 28,
1964.

“‘He was a worker —
and a friend of all
workers.”’

He will live forever in,
the memory

of
MARY SWEET
& FAMILY

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1966 from

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April 29, 1966—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 2

sures to prevent Communists and
neutralists from infiltrating the
assembly.” (New York Times,
April 14.)

Since many knowledgeable ob-
servers believe that a majority
of South Vietnamese would vote
either “Communist” or “neu-
tralist,” the question was: how
can a “free election” be held,
and yet prevent the “infiltration”
of such elements into the elected
assembly?

The dilemma was highlighted
by James Reston, astute New
York Times columnist and editor,
who wrote (April 8) that the out-
come of the proposed elections
hinges on the three questions:

e Which Vietnamese would be
responsible for preparing the
national assembly election and
drafting the constitution?

e@ Who would be represented at
the constituent assembly?

e How would delegates be
chosen — by election or appoint-
ment — and who will elect or
appoint them?

“The present government,”
Reston added, “presumably will
not want to arrange its own
defeat.”

Even more to the point Wash-
ington was also not inclined to
tolerate an election that would
result in its political defeat.
Washington’s temper was ex-
pressed by President Johnson,

Johnson is alarmed at the pros-
pect of an “unholy alliance” of
Buddhists, Communists and the
National Liberation Front, ac-
cording to the Allen-Scott Re-
port (April 12), and said this
presented the “dire possibility of
the establishment of a regime
that would enter into negotia-
tions with North Vietnam and
the Viet Cong.”

SOCIAL EVENING &
VIETNAM SLIDE SHOWING
_ By M.RUSH
SAT.—APR.30—8 P.M.
at
5245 EMPIRE DR.—NORTH
_BURNABY
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The Administration’s remedy
was suggested by Washington
columnist Clayton Fritchey
(April 13).

“In a _ situation like this,”
Fritchey wrote, “one puppet is
almost as good as another so far
as the U.S. Administration is
concerned, as long as there is
no interruption in the prosecution
of the war,”

The trouble — from Washing-
ton’s viewpoint — is, however,
that it is easier to select puppets
through a military junta than in
a managed election, which can
get out of hand,

The question must have oc-
curred to Washington policy
makers, but until now only a
minority is disposed to con-
sider the simple answer: If
you are not wanted, get out, The
minority was growing.

@ 170,000 dead

This man is not
welcome in Canada

pet f
WEI

IN SOUTH VIETNAM

Up to Dec./65:
@ 150,000 poisoned by chemical and combat gases

@ 400,000 jailed in over 1,000 prisons.
© 800,000 invalided by tortures, bombings
@ 150,000 poisoned by chemicals.

Protest McNamara visit

B.C. Peace Council Monday
sent a telegram to Prime Min-
ister Pearson and Opposition
Leader Diefenbaker protesting

SATURDAY — MAY 7TH,
KEEP THIS DATE OPEN!
for a
Vancouver East Press Club
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the slated visit of U.S, Defense
Secretary McNamara to Montreal
in the week of May 15th, and pro-
testing their scheduled appear-
ance with him on the same plat-
form,

The wire said “Canada has
failed in its duties on the Inter-
national Truce Commission.
There is no need for you to
add to the shame.” The wire,
protesting their scheduled ap-
pearance with McNamara, is one

of many pouring into Ottawa. —

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