Nehru on the Rubicon

Shortly after Prime Minister Nehru's visit last fall to the drowsy Indo-Chinese countries of Laos and Cambodia, a British diplomat hopefully remarked that "this could be Nehru's Rubicon, the point where he must finally choose sides." Reason: Nehru was so deeply impressed by the extensive influence of Indian culture in both countries, as well as their real independence from French colonialism, that he decided on diplomatic recognition and personally appealed to Communist Boss Ho Chi Minh in neighboring North Viet Nam not to violate their frontiers.

Ho promised Nehru solemnly that he would never dream of such a dreadful thing, proceeded forthwith to violate a frontier. The Communist Pathet Lao regime, which had grabbed some 13,000 sq. mi. of northern Laos in flagrant violation of the Geneva cease-fire agreements, began as a Viet Minh appendage. In the past year Ho's agents have built it up into a tightly disciplined Communist state, complete with full-dress government ministries, a capital at Samneua, brainwashing squads and a conscripted army of 10,000 men trained, supplied, and controlled by 1.500 or more regular Viet Minh troops masquerading as Laotians.

Pathet Lao units, sometimes in regimental strength, have repeatedly attacked isolated outposts of the royal Laotian army (TIME. July 25). Communist food seizures, for shipment to Ho's hungry Red River Delta, have created such widespread famine that the U.S. International Cooperation Administration this month began air-dropping 1,000 tons of rice to the 100,000 peasants who inhabit the region. Even the International Control Commission, made up of representatives of Canada. India and Communist Poland --with its Polish members dissenting--has complained of Pathet Lao activities.

From his capital at Vientiane, Premier Katay Sasorith has tried fruitlessly to negotiate with the Pathet Lao. appealed to world opinion, even threatened to order his U.S.-equipped army of 30,000 to liquidate the Communists--only to be restrained in this by the U.S. and others who feared that Ho might retaliate in force from across the border.

Last week, on a formal visit to New Delhi. Katay accused the Viet Minh of outright aggression, bluntly reminded Nehru that "Laos was an outpost of Indian civilization when there was competition between India and China ... We look to you today for help." In effect, he was challenging Nehru to invoke his old promise from Ho Chi Minh. Nehru simply said: "It's for the people of Laos to solve their own problems, not for others to interfere too much," and offered to help arrange further negotiations between the legal government and the Red interlopers.

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