U.S. Expected To Boost Vietnam War Effort

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30927, 7 December 1965, Page 8

U.S. Expected To Boost Vietnam War Effort

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Coi>|«rioht> ' WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. In the Wake of the collapse of the latest Vietnam peace effort by Britain, firm decisions on intensified United States bombing and an increase of American forces hiay be taken by President Johnson next week. V \

The President u expected to plan for a bigger war effort at a meeting with Mr Deen Rusk and Mr Robert McNamara, the exact date of which stUi has to be decided. Washington was disappointed at the negative response by Ruaeta to the proposal by Mr Michaei Stewart, that the two countries, as co-chairmen, join in recovering the multination Geneva conference on Vietnam.

Mr Stewart said in Moscow that be bad found no change In tbp Rusatan stand on the Vietnam war during his five days of talks. The Russian attitude to appeals that it try to use its influence to persuade Hanoi to agree to settlement talks did not come as a surprise. But some officials tad held a glimmer of hope that there might be a change.

President Johnson and has Administration remain alert for any signal from the Communist side wtaph might suggest willingness to talk, but officials say there is no sign that Hanoi or Peking can be persuaded to goto the conference table.

Officials say that, if North

Vietnam agrees to talks, Russia will join in calling a Geneva meeting.

The Johnson Administration is still subject to pressure, diplomatically and editortally, to try a long pause in the bombing of North Vietnam as one means of trying to bring about peace talks.

The Administration answer to those who ask for a suspension of bombing, is that if the United States decided on a prolonged pause it would subject itself to intense pressures to agree not to resume the raids while the Communist side continued its infiltration of men and material into the south.

Hanoi, according to the Administration argument, could agree to machinery for negotiation but prolong the preliminary discussions. This, officials say, is exactly wtat happened in Korea, and, they add, thousands of Americans died before a ceasefire was signed. “If we did this in South Vietnam, we would be tying one firm behind our tack while the other side had both its arms free to move in the

South, said one Administra- • Somesenior officials are concerned', that the United States, with Its increasing invoivetyeot in the war, ta moving towards a putable dash with China within months. .Reported eWitaton of Chinese dtita tad provinces near the Vietnam border, adjustments m'Peking's economic planning;to take account of v possibiw War with the Uritted StateTitad increased Chfoese aidlctanmitments to Hanoi have AiU tended to permade sonle\ analysts that co bio danger lies President Jdhneon and his Cabutyt advisers have considered until now that Chita does not intend to Intervene militarily in Vietnam. Officials say there has been no evidence so far to force a change of that viewpoint. Nevertteieas, «s the State Department acknowledges oflktally, the United States fa watchtag with care ail activities <n the Chinese border with