Mme. Nhu Condemns Dancing As ‘Waste Of Time’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30259, 11 October 1963, Page 15

Mme. Nhu Condemns Dancing As ‘Waste Of Time’

(NZ.P.A.-F.wtre—Copyright)

NEW YORK, Oct 10. Madam* Nbu. the fiery South Vietnamese feminist and reconteuee, drew loud applause yesterday from an American audience with a large proportion of women The diminutive South-eas l Asian beauty remained elegant and cool as. for over an hour, she answered a barrage of questions—both lighthearted and serious.

Her high-coiffured head barely peeped over the desk on the huge stage of the

Waldorf Astoria Hotel ballroom.

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu was attired in a Vietnamese turquoise gown an “ao d*l.” The mother of four, she was asked why dancing, such as the twist, was outlawed in South Vietnam. "I wish to remind you that my country has never danced.” she replied "We think we cannot waste our time with gratuitous amusements. “Whenever we gather it’s only for useful distraction*.

“The boys pound rice and the girls sift rice. There is an old man to chaperone. We occupy ounelves with mind and spirit rather than the physical when gathering.

"Our aim is to propagate —but we have a different concept. You think it is good to see each other (malefemale) but in our country we try to preserve our sensibilities.”

Madame Nhu said women in her country breast-fed their babies, after which the babies ate as adults. "The French never tried to make us drink milk." site said.

“When the Americans came, it was the first thing they wanted us to do.” >

The American "drink milk teams” that toured Vietnamese villages to spread the gospel, she mid, but many people gave it to their animate instead and had told the vteitore: "We don’t drink it, but toe pigs are doing well.”

Would her pretty 18-year-old daughter, Le Thuy, have to get her special permteaton to viait Madame Nhu'* father. Tran Van Choung. the former Ambassador to the L’ruled States who has disagreed with some of hi* daughter's comments?

Loud applause greeted her reply: "I want to aee bun too. and if I have diepl eased him, I will ask him for torgiveness.”