We reproduce herewith an article from the May 25th issue of Workers World on the situation in Laos in light of the steps to get a settlement. This journal is not an organ of the Fourth Intornational but the information and ideas of the article are in general accord with our position. id. Note. Imperialism mst find a now stooge in Laos
Just how much of a 'noutralist! is Souvanna Phouma, the Laotian prince who has finally stopped his Paris holiday to go and form qa coalition government in Laos? He is of course not an extreme Right “ingor nor is he a tool of U.S. imperialism, or he could not have been Premier three times with the qualified support of the Patriotic Front and the Pathet Lao each time.
But the U.S., Britain and other imperialist powers are suspiciously anxious to put Souvanna Phouma into the saddle. Granted that they are frightened of an easy and successful Communist-led revolution if they don't do this, how is it that they are anxious to support this 'neutralist' that 5,000 U.S. Marines have gone to Southeast Asia to put him in office? Phouma's 'neutralism! half-heartedly wont along with Pathet Lao when that revolutionary army was sweeping the crumbling right-wing before it. But this same 'neutralist' can easily change his political stripe if put into power on the gunbarrels of 5,000 U.S. Marines.
The following factual account by Anna Louise Strong clearly reveals the political character of Souvanna Phouma, and how easily imperialism operated against him when it could not operate through him.
"A headlined article with photograph in the New York Times for August 18, 1960 » desribed Prince Souvanna Phouma as the new premier of Laos and a 'pro= llestera neutralist.! The same issue stated that if General Nosavan should move against Vientiane, he would meet with no opposition from Washington. Thus, nine days after Kong Le's dawn adventure (in overthrowing the U.S. stooge and putting in Souvanna Phouma for the third time - Dd. note), it was made clear to the world that Prince Souvanna Phouma was the recognised premier but that General Nosavan intended to fight him and was able to count on the U.S.A...
"Prince Phouma at first did not seem to take Nosavan's opposition ser— iously. He flew personally to Savannakhet on August 23, had a talk with Nosavan and returned to tell a press conference that everything was 'well settled,' since ‘the U.S. ambassador had assured him that Washington would not interfere in Laos." Said Phouma: "These assurances are sufficient for me." The Time.magazine , however already noted that General Novasan not only was rallying troops but had the king in Luang Prabang ‘under something like house arrest.' For several wecks Prince ' Phouma gave more attention to placating Nosavan than to any neutralist policy or negotiations with the Pathet Lao. It is a common habit of middle-of—the-road politicians to take the support of the Left for granted and try to placate the
Phouma kept Nosavan in the cabinet as Vice—Premier and Iiinister of the Interior. He sent Kong Le (who had led the revolt which put Phouma in power) back to his job as captain and spoke of him slightingly when the people made him a p@ular hero. On August 29, Phouma met Nosavan in Luang Prabang and tried with concessions to dissuade him from the armed attacks he openly prepared. Nap of this appeasement worked, Nosavan moved openly against the government in Vientiane (capital of Laos) with Thailand's help. (then follows the story of the military movemonts of the counter—revolutionary Nosavan and proofs of the all-out support given him by the United States — Dd. note).....
"When Phouma'ts six weeks courtship of Nosavan had clearly brought nothing but war, the Patriotic Front began a courtship of Phouma, On October 1, it sent him an official reminder that the Patriotic Front had been waiting forsome time for the promjed negotiations. ...They proposed that appeasement of Nosavan coase, that democratic rights be returned to the people — who were already throw ing out Nosavan's local governors in the provinces -— that a coalition government be formed and diplomatic relations be set up with the U.S.9.R., People's China and North Vietnam,
Laos continued/
"The following day, the Pathet Lao pointedly asked Phouma why he had \ taken no steps in his 'neutralist policy,’ why he persecuted the Youth Committee for Peace and Neutrality! and why he 'texcluded Kong Le from the Committee for the Defence of Vientianne,! This sharp reminder brought results. Phouma began to rally the help available to him as a heutralist. On October5, he signed an agreement with Burma to fly in food and gasoline. On the 6th, he declared diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.Ree On the 7th, he announced that negotiations would soon begin with the Pathet Lao. The Soviet ambassador flew in from Cambodia and agreed to airlift food and gasoline into Vientiane and to give other assistance if needed. But Phouma's neutrality was still strictly formal. VWhen the effervescent Kong Le greeted the Soviet ambassador at the airport with a paratrooper display, Phouma reprimanded him and put him under house arrest.
from °: Gash and Vrolenge 39 acs and
letnam, pages \hho's Who and What's what in Laos (extracts) BOUN OUM: The extreme Rightist prince who works with the CIA and whom the U.5. would much prefer to run Laos. Has utterly no popular backing. The U.S. was giving him $3 million a month subsidy until a couple of months ago. The State Department cut off the subsidy in an effort to get him join the coalition with tneutr.alist! Souvanna Phouma, But Oum remained intransigent. It is thought that the CIA has been supplying him with the money which the U.S. had formally cut off.