{ title: 'Advance news. (Ogdensburg, N.Y.) 1967-current, December 08, 1968, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn90066433/1968-12-08/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn90066433/1968-12-08/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn90066433/1968-12-08/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn90066433/1968-12-08/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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H i g h l i g h t O F A Wins Second S t r a ig h t W r e s tlin g M a t c h —Story, ADVANCE'/ r w - * m m m * r LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEW S REPORTED IN DEPTH W e a ther V a r iab le cloudiness, mod erately w in d y and co ld with snow flu r r ie s ge n e r a lly. High th is afternoon in u p p e r 20s an d lower 30s. V O L . 2 1 , N O . 9 7 3 P U B L I S H E D IN O G D E N S B U R G , N . Y . , 1 3 6 6 9 , S U N D A Y , D E C . 8 , 1 9 6 8 P R I C E 2 5 C te e lly - \ e o m i n e n t s . . B y C H A R L E S W . K E L L Y O n e m u s t h a v e p a t ie n c e when a t t e m p t ing to ciro s s State Street ait the in t e r s e c t io n of G r e e n e . T h e elab o r a te tra f f ic c o n t r o l we n o w h a v e is b e s t fit f o r B r o a d w a y and 7th A v e n u e in N e w York C i t y , I h a d tim e enough t o eat m y lunch w h i l e w a i t i n g for the g r e e n light S a t u r d a y m o r n in g . * * <5 A n e d ito r ia l p u b l i s h e d in T u e s d a y ’s Jo u r n a l d e v e lo p e d an in t e r e s t i n g a n g l e in regards to p a y m e n t s m a d e f o r p r o f e s s io n a l se r v ice s given w e lfare and m e d ic a i d re c ip ie n t s in S t . L a w r e n c e C o u n ty. The Editor o f the Jo u r n a l i n his e d ito r ia l, breaks d o w n toe am o u n t p a i d to a d e n t ist and a m e d ica l do c t o r to a d a ily b a s is. I had n e v e r t a k e n toe t i m e to do so . Dr. Escoe, M a s s e n a dentist, re c e i v e d $61,006. for th e ten m o n t h p e r i o d . M o n t h ly he re c e iv e d $6,100 a n d a p p r o x im a t e ly $ 3 0 0 a w o r k in g day. T a k i n g it o n e more s t e p , Dr. Escoe re c e i v e d ab o u t $ 3 7 . 5 0 an h o u r for an e i g h t hour w o r k d a y . D r . E r n e s t H. Stretton of C a n t o n , a m e d i c a l d o c t o r , re ceived $ 4 6 ,03 3 .7 5 for the s a m e p e r i o d . He re c e iv e d an a v e r a g e of $ 4 6 0 0 a m o n t h , and a b o u t $200.00 a w o rk d a y , M e d i c a id m u s t have tig h t e r co n t r o ls, but a b la n k e t cu t b a c k w o u l d be w r o n g . . A w h o l e s a le cu t b a c k w i ll h u r t too m a n y in n o c e n t people. Q u a l i f ic a t i o n s e s t a b lish e d on a re g io n a l b a s i s in s t e a d of sta t e w id e , would se e m to b e the m o s t p r a c t ica l plan. W i t h i n a v e r y short p e r io d o f tim e , people w h o a r e q u a lifie d for m e d ic a id , will a l s o be q u a lifie d to h a v e legal co u n s e l and s e r v i c e s m a d e a v a i l a b l e to t h e m . The co u n ty, state a n d fed e r a l g o v e r n m e n t will have t o pro d u c e th e m o n e y to take c a r e of these se r v ic e s , a lso . St. L a w r e n c e C o u n t y a lre a d y has a W e lf a r e B u d g e t (in c lu d e s m e d ica id ) of $18 m illion f o r 1969. * >:< * S u p e r v i s o r s W illa r d G r e e n o f L is b o n and D o n L iv in g s t o n of t h e Town o f Oswe- g a t c h ie, opposed the n e w fo r m u la f o r ap p r o p r ia t in g fu n d s for p u b l i c lib r a r i e s in St. L a w r e n c e C o u n t y M o n d a y , M r . G r e e n w a r n e d against adding a n y a d d itio n a l ex penses to the b u d g e t, a n d Mr, L i v in g s t o n opposed the fo r m u la . M r. L i v i n g s t o n w a n t ed to k n o w w h y O g d e n s b u r g should bene- , fit m o r e than M a s sena. I would l i k e to suggest to M r. L iv in g s t o n t h a t O g d e n s b u r g '.didn’t d r a w up the f o r m u l a , and fu r t h e r • s u g g e st th a t toe people w h o live o n R i v e r side D r i v e use th e O g d e n s b u r g L i b r a r y , not t h e H e u v e lto n L i b r a r y . O g d e n s b u r g , and O s w e g a t c h ie have a l w a y s co o p e r a t e d with e a c h o t h e r. F o r m o r e years t h a n Mr. L i v i n g s t o n has b e e n on t h e B o a r d o f Su p e r v i s o r s , the T o w n of O s w e g a t c h i e chil dren, in c lu d in g H e u v e lto n , have b e e n en joying re c r e a t io n a l, a n d in s t r u c t io n a l ’ s w im m in g at t h e O g d e n s b u r g B e a c h . Og d e n s b u r g is g lad to be a b l e to f u r n i s h the f a c i l i t i e s fo r t h e To w n of O s w e g a t c h ie c h i l d r e n . A b o u t 100 H e u v e lto n a r e a chil dren t a k e advantag e o f th e o p p o r t u n ity each d a y d u r in g toe s u m m e r . S u p e r v is o r L i v i n g s t o n m ig h t take a lo o k at th e w h o le p ictu r e before u s in g O g d e n s b u r g a s his so u n d in g board. I t w o u ld b e nice to hear Mr. L i v i n g s t o n fig h t fo r O g d e n s b u r g , in stead o f against it. It ’s tim e that so m e t h in g was d o n e about the f i r e ruins o f the H e a r t h s t o n e I n n . The Inn, o w n e d by M r . and M r s . John M . L a n g ford, w a s tw ice struck b y fire in S e p t e m ber o f 1966, a n d since t h a t time n o t h in g has b e e n done t o either r e p a i r the d a m a g e , or t e a r the h i s t o r i c s t r u c t u r e d o w n . 1 is not p r o p e r l y c l o s e d up. C i t y B u i l d i n g In sp e c t o r Dan C a u lfie ld sh o u ld s e e fort p r o p e r safety m e a s u r e s are t a k e n . It doesn’t take a P e r r y M a s o n to r e a l i z e that the b u i l d i n g i n its p r e s e n t c o n d itio n is both d a n g e r o u s , and a c o m m u n ity e y e s o r e . Mr. C a u l f i e l d sh o u ld g i v e a p u b lic rep o r t to th e C o m m o n Council a t the n e x t m eet ing in reg a r d s to this s t r u c t u r e . A t the sam e t i m e he m ight a l s o rermr+ o n the sta t u s o f the o l d Diwberg G lo v e F a c t o r y on G i l b e r t Street. I t has b e e n five v p a r s since the D i n b e r g f i r e . F ire r u i n s s h o u l d be re m o v e d . * * T h e U n ited F u n d c le a n - u p d r i v e for the O g d e n s b u r g area is sc h e d u le d to be co m p le t e d by T u e s d a y . A s of S a t u r d a y , O g d e n s b u r g w a s still $ 7 ,0 0 0 short o f re a c h ing i t s goal. T h e p ledg e s have b e e n dis a p p o in t in g , b u t I think M a y o r B y r n e s hit the n a i l on to e head w h e n he s a i d there a p p a r e n t l y had been a b r e a k d o w n i n com m u n ic a t io n s b e t w e e n t h e U n ite d Fund co m m itte e , a n d toe c i t y . T h e g i v e r won’t give u n l e s s h e is appro-ached. T h e m a y o r was sp e a k i n g p r i m a r i l y o f city e m p lo y e s , hut m a y b e t h i s is the p r o b le m in other areas o f the co m m u n ity . A pledge o f $.25 a p a y period w o n ’t hurt a n y of u s . # * # C l a r e n c e W . S k e liy ’s f i v e y e a r te r m on toe O g d e n s b u r g Bridge a n d Port A u t h o r ity e x p i r e s at toe e n d of t h i s m o n th. W i l l he be re a p p o in t e d b y the G o v e r n o r ? I f would a p p e a r that M r . Skelly h a s toe i n s i d e track for re a p p o i n t m e n t , but t h e n a m e s o f two o t h e r p r o m in e n t R e p u b lic a n s h a v e also been m e n t io n e d . 1 has b e e n re p o r t e d that both F r e d S b u r t le f f a n d City R e p u b lic a n C h a i r m a n , J o h n H, L i v i n g s t o n a r e also b e i n g c o n s id e r e d for t h e a p p o in t m e n t . S o u t h V i e t n a m ’s F u t u r e D e p e n d s U p o n P o l i t i c a l S h o w d o w n I n P a r i s T a l k s E D I T O R ’S N O T E - T h e p e a c e talks in P a r is and th e h a ltin g of bom b ing against N o r t h V ie t n a m seem to h a v e co n v in c e d V ietn a m e s e o f f icials, a n d ap p a r e n tly the V i e t Cong, tfcat the U n ited States is serio u s a b o u t ending th e war an d even t u a l l y w ithd raw ing its m ilita r y fo r c e s frmo V ietn a m . A n A s s o c ia t e d P r e s s rep o rter talked to se n io r V ietn a m e s e o fficials a n d A m e r ic a s ab o u t the situation a n d studies cap t u r e d do c u m e n ts a n d prisoner interrogations to g e t the other sid e ’s view p o int. H e r e is his re p o r t on th e out lo o k . B y P E T E R A R E T T A s s o c iated P r e s s W r it e r S A IG O N (AP) - T h e future of South V ietn a m is seen by both the w a r r in g sid e s a s no longer dependent upon the out come of the shooting w a r. T h e y se e it being determ ined by a political showdown whose broad outlines are becoming cle a r in th e V ietnam e s e coun trysid e . T h is eventuality does not pre clude continued vio lence. It m ight m e r e ly send it under ground. T h e big w a r goes on, as evidenced by the deaths of 228 U.S. m en in th e w e e k ended Nov. 30, b u t m ilitary action now s e e m s e s s e n t ia lly secondary be c a u s e of A m e r ic a n relu c t a n c e to fu r t h e r e s c a la t e the war. W ith the w a r unresolved, the r a p i d p o litica l developm ents th is year — beginning with P r e s id e n t Jo h n s o n ’s b id for p e a c e talks, a n d including the trium p h a n t a r r i v a l of the V iet C o n g delegation in P a r is, and the bombing h a l t — are co n s id e r e d by both Com m u n ist and an ti-C o m m u n ist Vietnam e se as a se r ie s of m a s s i v e political de f e a t s for the Saigon g o v e r n m e n t . A further p o litic a l defeat for Saig o n , in th e view of m a n y h e r e , would be a cease-fire w ith in the next f e w months. “ W e are ju s t not cap a b le of handling it — it wouldbe a d isaste r,” com m e n t e d a se n io r V ietn a m e s e of f i c i a l in the d e lta city of M y Tho la s t week. B u t those V ietnam e s e who h a v e closely watched p o litical developm e n ts this ye a r expect p ro c lam a t io n of a cease-fire as th e next lo g ica l step in p o litical resolution of th e w a r. So inevitable is toe cease-fire reg a rd e d th a t both the C o m m u n ists and th e Saigon go v e rn m e n t are to s s in g aside the cau tion learned through y e a r s of punishing w a r f a r e . T h e y are scram b lin g ahead w ith pro g r a m s that u n t il a few m o n ths a s im p r a c t ical and unw o rkable. T h e Viet Cong, fo r exam p le, a r e surfacing in m a n y contested a r e a s to convince a w a r-w e a ry population into voting for a “ r e volutionary ad m inistratio n ” a im e d at leg itim izin g the Com m u n ists in a r e a s w h e re they h a v e long claim e d dom inance. B y surfacing the cad r e have m a d e them selves vulnerable to d ire c t m ilitary retaliation and m o r e subtle counteraction b y government k i l le r team s . Nu m e r o u s cadre have been killed and captured re c e n t ly . O n the other hand, the Saigon governm e n t is v a s t ly overex tending itself in a p ro g r a m la beled A c c e le r a t e d P a c ifica t io n N a t i o n R e c a lls P e a r l H a r b o r A t Services \WTO P E A R L H A R B O R , H a w a ii ( A P ) — A m e r ic a rem e m b e re d i t s fighting m e n killed during t h e P e a r l H a r b o r a t t a c k 27 y e a r s ago w ith a sp e c ial m e m o r i a l service Sa t u r d a y a t the U S S A r iz o n a m e m o r ial, R e p r e s e n t a t iv e s of the N a tion a l Conference of State L e g is l a t i v e Le a d e r s w e r e am o n g those a t services on the gleam ing w h ite m e m o r ia l which strad d le s t h e sunken battleship. N o rm a lly th e only m e m o r ia l p r o g r a m s h e ld aboard the w h ite m o n u m e n t a r e on M e m o r ia l D a y . B u t S e c r e t a r y of the N a v y P a u l R . Ig n a t iu s granted sp e c ial au th o r izatio n for S a t u r d a y ’ s r i t e s . John L . O ’B r i e n of th e W a s h ing ton state H o u s e of R e p r e s e n t a t iv e s , p r e s id e n t of th e le g isla t i v e leaders, presented a plaque t o R e a r A d m . F r e d E . B a k u tis, o m m a n d e r o f the 14th O G B ( T h e plaque, which will be co m m a n d e r of the 14th N a v a l D i s t r ic t , P e a r l H a rbor. The plaque, which will be p la c e d in th e A rizona m e m o r i a l ’s m u s e u m area s a i d : “ To the m e n of the U . S . a r m e d forces who died on D e c . 7 , 1941: In p e a c e you se r v e d a s o u r defenders; in battle our p r o te c t o r s ; in d e a t h , our rem in d e r t h a t lib e r t y is our greatest streng th. W e salute y o u .” A M a rine, C p l. P h illip Salm o n Nixon Considers National TV To Announce Cabinet B y F R A N K C O R M I E R A s s o c iated P r e s s W riter P A L M S P R I N G S , C a l i f . (A P ) — Presid e n t-elect R ic h a r d M . N ix o n is considering a national televisio n - r a d io ap p e a r a n c e n e x t week to announce his c a b i n e t . Sources c l o s e to N ixo n s a i d S a t u r d a y h e h a s not definitely d e c id e d on a form a t for a n n o u n c ing h i s cabinet chonces. B u t they s a i d such a rad io -TV ap p e a r a n c e w a s being iven s e r i o u s thought. Nixon h a s said a l l cabinet ch o ice s w ill b e announced in toe co m in g w e e k . The decision a p p a r e n t ly depended on w h e ther N ix o n could line up a n entire c a b in e t in tim e . Sources c l o s e to th e p r e s i dent-elect s a i d F r id a y night S e n . H e n r y Ja c k s o n of W a shington, a fo r m e r c h a irm a n of th e D e m o c r a t i c N a t io n a l Com m ittee, h a d rem o v e d h im s e lf fro m conten tio n as a p o s s ib le s e c r e t a r y of D e fense. Nixon c a m e here to attend the a n n u a l m e e t in g of the R e p u b li c a n G o v e r o r s Association. Speaking b r ie f ly F r i d a y night, th e incom ing president said the U n ite d States has the w e a lth to b e the best fe d , best housed n a tio n in th e world h a s e v e r kno w n —and to share its p r o s p e r ity “ m o r e equally than any people h a v e e v e r sh a r e d .” He said “ w e ’re going to s e e to i t ” that A m e r ica n s n o w fighting in Vietnam co m e hom e to a na tio n which c a n be united w ith opportunity fo r all people. Nixon, f l y i n g b a c k to N e w Y o r k today, w a s not exp e c t e d to re v e a l his cabinet p ick s until Tuesday, a t the earliest. How ever, L t . G o v . R o b e r t F i n c h of C a lifo r n ia m a d e no se ll j* ' <§}rs * 4 i ' 4!-* 4 o ' jt ' * £ * ■&' * * ' d ? fr* I illil of M u skogee, O k la., and a sail or, B o a t s w a in ’s M a te l.C . Paul W hittleton of W e d g e field, S.C., ca r r ie d a large w h ite carnation and lavender orchid floral w reath to O’B r ie n and Stewart La m p r e y , incom ing president of the leg islativ e le a d e r s . Lam p r e y is p r e s id e n t of the N e w H a m p shire state senate. Th flo r a l d isp lay was dropped in the w a t e r s over the sunken battleship. T h e rain bow-colored oil r in g s , w h ich still su r f a c e from the subm erged v e s s e l, blended w ith the floating w reath. T h e leg islative lead e r s attend ing the cerem o n y included dele g a tes from every state a s well a-- G u a m Puerto R ic o and the V irg in Islands. T h e 15-minute cerem o n y closed w ith the firin g of three vo lleys b y the M a r in e Co rps ri- taps. T h e r e w e re ho speeches. T h e Arizona re s t s in 38 feet of w a tr e at th bottom of Pearl H a rb o r . T h e m o n u m e n t over it was dedicated in 1962. More than 222,600 people v isite d the m e m o r ial sofar ibis y e a r . A la r g e m a rble w a ll in the Shrine room of the m e m o r ia l is engraved with the n a m e s of Hie 1,177 N a v y and M a r in e C o rp s of fice r s and men who w e r e killd in th e attack. T h e r e are 1,100 m en entombed in the sunken ship. % . *> * r , , - . J* t ' * ‘ivv' - *- -I i M . - * . * « ‘ T H E F I R S T T O S S - U P — W i l li a m G . W a l k e r , p r e s i d e n t of toe E n l a r g e d O g d e n s b u r g D is t r i c t B o a r d of E d u c a t i o n , t h r e w up t h e firs t b a ll a t ce r e m o n ie s F r i d a y n ig h t co m m e m o r a t in g the first g a m e in O F A ’s u l t r a m o d e m g y m n a s iu m . O F A p l a y e r s in w h ite a r e B i l l H u b e r (21) B i l l S h o e n (13) a n d Jo n N y s t r o m (10). C a n to n p l a y e r s a r e K in g s t o n (54) and H a z e n (5 2 ). D u r in g h a lf - tim e ce r e m o n ie s p l a y e r s f r o m O F A ’s firs t N o r t h e r n L e a g u e ch a m p io n s h ip te a m o f 1917 w e r e in t r o d u c e d to th e cro w d as w e U a s th o s e that p la y e d in t h e fir s t gam e in th e n o w abandoned G e o r g e H a l l G y m in 1938 a n d in th e last g a m e at th e o ld gym la s t season. T h e n e w g y m c a n h o ld n e a r l y 1400 sp e c t a t o r s and g iv e s th e fa n a good v ie w of th e action fro m aH a n g les. O F A w o n toe g a m e F r i d a y n ig h t 63-45. (Ja c k W o o d P h o t o ) cret of the fact that h i s longtime friend had offered h im a cabinet job— perhaps a s s e c r e t a r y of health, education and welfare. He d id not pinpoint th e job. F i n c h sa id T h u r s d a y that Nix on w a s considering a m a jor overhaul of cabinet departm e n ts som e tim e after taking office Jan. 20. Fin c h suggested that the D e p a rtm e n t s of H e a lth , Ed ucation and W e lf a r e , Housing and U r b a n D e v e lopm e n t, and Transportation m ight be amal gam ated into a departm e n t of hum a n reso u r c e s . H e sa id the old-line departm e n ts of agricul ture and interio r m ight be com bined in a new departm e n t of n a tu r a l reso u r c e s . O u t b r e a k O f H o n g K o n g F l u I n U . S . C a u s e s A b s e n t e e i s m U .S . Ski T e a m s T a k e F r e n c h C u p B y B U R L O S B O R N E A s s o c iated P r e s s Sports W riter A S P E N , Colo. (A P ) - The U .S . ski team s withstood a bril lia n t r a l l y by the F r e n c h men’s slalo m ra c e r s to w in the first F r e n c h A m e r ican C h a lle n g e Cup Satu r d a y . R i c k Chaffee, 24, of Rutland, V t „ scored th e d e c isive point w h en F r a n c e ’s P a t r ic k R u ssel lost a bind as the tw o charged neck-and-neck down toe slalom course on Aspen M o u n tain. I t w a s a gratifying victo r y for the A m e r icans, who had little lu c k against the F r e n c h in the 1968 W interO lym p ics. W ith scoring of one point to e a c h nation fo r each individual victo r y in the slalo m and giant slamoitn competition, the United States finished with an 11-9 vic to r y . B y T H E A S S O C I A T E D P R E S S Absences fro m schools and jo b s in s e v e r a l areas o f the co u n try are reported ru n n in g h ig h e r than u s u a l this w in t e r be c a u s e of a sp reading outbreak of Hong K o n g flu. A n A s s o c iated Press su r v e y show ed that although th e dis e a s e has not y e t hit its p e a k in m a n y p la c e s , some firm s and schools re p o r t absenteeism run n i n g as high a s 30 per ce n t . I n New Y o r k City, fo r exam p l e , a C o m m e r c e and In d u s t r y A s sociation su r v e y of lead ing businesses sho w e d that 40 per c e n t of those polled reported un u s u a lly high absenteeism . Ten per ce n t of those firm s s a i d the h ig h number o f sick em p loyes d e f in itely was due to H o n g Kong f l u . The others said t h a t the absenteeism w a s be c a u s e of a flu - lik e disorder. O f those f i r m s reporting unu s u a ll y high absenteeism , 10 uesr c e n t said the rate was 200 per c e n t higher th a n norm a l while t h e rest put th e rate at fro m 10 to 33 per c e n t higher th a n nor m a l . The N a t io n a l Com m u n icable D ise a s e C e n t e r in A t lan ta, Ga., s a i d F r id a y th a t 13 staes, P u e r to Rico and N e w York C i t y al re a d y had r e p o r t e d outbreaks of H o n g Kong flu and th a t new c a s e s were expected. Doctors a t the center said ch a n c e s of finding a va c c in e w h ich can f u l l y prevent th e dis ease re m a in e d doubtful. O n e of th e hardest-hit areas h a s been Colorado. T h e State H e a lth D e p a rtm e n t estim a ted 50,000 flu c a s e s so fa r h i s year. T w o schools in he D e n v e r area w e r e closed for three d a y s last w e e k and ab s e n teeism in some f i r m s and ju n io r high schools w a s put by the health depart m e n t at 30 p e r cent. O fficials at the A ir F o r e e A c a d e m y n e a r Colorado Sp r in g s sa id m o st of th e 3,400 cad e t s had flu in so m e fo r m , but le s s than one p e r ce n t w e r e hospitalized. 461 Indications Of Red Activity Noted In DMZ S A IG O N (A P ) - T h e U.S. Co m m a n d s a id today A m e r ican re c o n n a issan c e uncovered at le a s t 461 indications of enem y a c t iv i t y in toe d e m ilitarized zone since the U n ited States stopped bom b ing North V ietnam N o v . 1. O n ly 36 o f the sig h tin g s re v e a le d w h a t the com m a n d te r m e d “ s ig n ifican t ” e n e m y ae on. But 128 w e r e serious enough to w a r r a n t retaliato r y f i r e from A m e r ic a n p la n e s , ar tille r y and w a rsh ips, th e com m a n d said. A m b a s s a d o r W . A v e r e ll H a r r i m a n , c h ie f U .S . negotiator at th e P a r is p e a c e talks, sa id ear lie r this w e e k there w a s a clear ag r e e m e n t before P r e s id n t Johnson o r d e r d the bom b ing h a l t that serio u s negotiations co u ld not continue if the enem y abused the D M Z or sh e lle d m a jo r cities. R a d io H a n o i ch a rg e d today th a t U.S. w a rp lanes bombed a n a g r icu ltu r a l cooperative and a h a m le t in N o rth V ie t n a m D e c . 3, killing m o r e than 30 N o rth V ietnam e s e . T h e report b y the “ C o m m is sio n for Investigatio n of U .S . Im p e r ia lists’ W a r C r i m e s ” claim e d A m e r ican planes h a v e m a d e se v e n bom b ing ra i d s ag a in s t N o rth V ietnam e s e p ro v in c e s since N o v . 1, and a r t i ll e r y a n d naval guns h a v e fired 81 rounds at targ e t s in the V in h L i n h area. South V ietn a m e s e h e a d q u a r t e r s said tod a y there h a v e been 122 shellings of p r o v in c ial ca p i ta ls and d istrict towns sin c e N o v . 1. F ifty - s ix c iv ilia n s h a v e b e e n killed and 498 wounded in th e attacks. M o st of toe population ce n t e r s reported shelled a lso a r e m i l i t a r y centers. C a m p a ig n . This a i m s a t grab bing a m a x im u m of contested terrain w i t h a m in im u m of oper atives to bolster governm e n t claim s o f population control. The p r o g r a m p l a c e s three- m a n te a m s of h a m le t officialsn and a t i n y security fo r c e in con tested a r e a s that h a v e not seen a perm a n e n t governm e n t p res ence s i n c e the days of P r e s id e n t go Dinh Dieo and the ill-fated strateg ic ham lets h e se t up be fore he w a s killed in 1963. T h e new p r o g r a m b e a r s other r e se m b la n c e s to th e strateg ic h a m lets: It was co n c e ived in d e s p e r a tio n , troop protection is lim ited, an d it is m o r e a num b e rs g a m e than a r e a l attem p t to wrest control of the country side fro m Com m u n ists. Both s i d e s are ta k in g risks be cause o-f the high stakes in volved n o w that a n end to the shooting is in sight. “ The U n ited S t a t e s backed us to win t h e w a r, but w e have not w o n ,” co m m e n ted a form e r V ietn a m e s e general who stays close to th e p o litical scene. “The fin a l b a ttle w ill only come w i t h the ce a s e - f ire when the Co m m u n ists p l a y th e ir polit ica l c a r d s . And it w i l l b e a d e c i sive b a t t le .” A ce a s e - f ir e w ill m a r k toe be ginning of toe re a l p o litical b a t tle, m a n y o-bservers believe, be cause o n l y then w i l l th e clandes tine C o m m u n ist p o l i t i c a l appa ratus b e ab le to fu n c tio n openly, p r e s u m a b ly protected to so m e degree b y in tern a tio n a l forces sent to p o lice the ce a s e - f ir e . Irre s p e c t iv e of a n y p rem ises m a d e i n P a r is , th e Co m m u n ists are exp e c t e d to m a t e r ia liz e in full b lo o m in a h u n d r e d political guises throughout A e tn a m fwhen th e g\ is stop. They h a v e ’ already orga' ized a scoie of front o-i ganizatiufls in cities and towns. With th e guns m u zzled, toe Com m u n ist-led V ie t Cong is ex pected to raise fla g s in every village they co e p letely or p a r t ly co n trol. “ If C - D a y (C e a s e - f ir e D a y ) cam e to d a y . 65 p e r cent of our ham lets would b e flying the Viet C o n g flag, a n d along the road a t that. W h at a sight that would b e for toe in tern a tio n a l o b s e rver team s !” a n A m e r ican R e v o lu tio n a r y D e v e lopm e n t of ficial com m e n ted in discussing the situation in th e delta prov- inve D in h Tuong 60 m iles south of Saigon. S A IG O N Showdown bjt take 3: in terest. The V i e t Cong, c u r r e n t ly cate gorized as bandits and c r im i nals w ith in South V ietn a m , and lacking a n y real p o litica l stand ing in t e r n a t io n a lly , stands to gain co n s id e r a b ly in stature should it succeed in this out ward m a n ife s t a t io n of turning a cease-fire into a show c a se for its p o litica l actions. The Saigo n governm e n t, on the o t h e r hand, k n o w s it has ev erything to lose p o litically and clings g r im ly to its public stance that the V ie t Cong is purely the in s tru m e n t of th e m ilitary' North V ietnam e s e C o m m u n ists. M a n y V ietnam e s e see this posture p e r m a n e n t ly dented b y the A m e r ic a n d e s ir e to pull out of toe w a r . They b e lie v e this su persedes all other considera tions u s to the ev e n t u a l fate of V ie t n a m . Consequently, the cu r rent sc r a m b le , to g r a b as m u c h te r r it o r y as p o s s ib le before a cease-fire, is a governm e n t move t o stop w h a t it considers toe in e v itab le C o m m u n ist ad vance. “ T h is is their l a s t chance and they k n o w it,” an A m e r ican offi cial co m m e n ted in Long An P r o v in c e . C lan d e s tin e b u t c h e r y has long been a w a y of l i f e in Vietnam . “ When the C o m m u n ists su r face we sh o u ld kill th e m , \ a senior V ietnam e s e o fficer com m e n ted m a tter-of-factly. “ T h e y w ill k i l l us if w e don’t g e t them first. There w i l l be a bloodbath.” This could w e ll take p la c e with A m e r ic a n a n d other a llied units standing fa s t to observe toe ce a s e - f ir e ru l e s . The C o m m u nist leadership h a s made it clear th a t ihey w i l l w reak a bloody ju s tice on th o s e they re gard a s traitors to their ca u s e . One se n io r d e fecto r says a s many a s three m illio n n a m e s are on th e Viet C o n g lists, m a n y labeled fo r assassination , o t h e rs for l a b o r cam p s. The political show d o w n is not expected to be reso lved in a short s p a t of tim e , and ex p e r i enced A m e r ican ob s e rvers s a y it n e e d not n e c e s s a r ily be w o n by t i e C o m m u n i s t
