NO U.S. MOVE TO INTERVENE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27374, 12 June 1954, Page 7

NO U.S. MOVE TO INTERVENE

New Comments By

Eisenhower

WASHINGTON, June 10.

President Eisenhower appeared today to draw further away from the idea of any early United States military intervention in the Indo-China war.

He took the opportunity at his weekly press conference to discuss in broad terms the need for proper political and psychological bases before any military action could be successfully employed, not only in IndoChina, but in any other area.* Supporting the non-intervention interpretation of Mr Eisenhower’s statements were these additional points which he emphasised: (1) There are no plans at present to seek authority from Congress to throw United States forces into the Indo-China war if any emergency arose after Congress had adjourned as planned at the end of July.

(2) The situation in Indo-China has not caused him to revise his early military budget estimates, which were submitted to Congress before the fall of the fortress of Dien Bien Phu had caused a grave weakening of the military and political position of the French Union forces. (3) The United States could not achieve its policy .objectives of saving areas of the world from Communist domination by military means alone.

(4) French Union forces were in a better defensive position now to hold the vital “rice bowl” region of the northern Red River delta where the Communist-led Vietminh divisions gathering for a new offensive.