Page Six

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Wednesday, June 23, 1971

Page Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY Wednesday, June 23, 1971

At corner of
State & Liberty
DIAL 662 6264
OPEN 1:15
Shows at
1 :30-4 P.M.
6:30-9 P.M.
WEDNESDAYS ARE
LADIES DAY
LaisPy75
1-6 P.M. WED

Viet politicians vie for presidency
(Continued from Page 5) claimed accomplishments of his pearances to lash out in turn at made a tentative try at candidacy
bill, aides of Ky and Minh began four years in office: seizure of the Americans, the government in 1967 but was disqualified asa
discussing possibilities of an al- the battlefield initiative from the and the conduct of the war itself "threat to national security." He
liance. One possibility is that enemy, increasing security and -in a manner -that clearly is in- returned to Saigon in 1968.
Minh would direct his supporters prosperity in the countryside, tended to destroy, at last, the un- He remains an obscure publi
in the provincial councils to en- implementation of land reform easy alliance with Thieu. This is figure and at age 55 has yet to
dorse Ky, while Minh would ob- an about-face for the flamboyant, demonstrate the political ten
tain the required endorsement '40-year-old former air marshal demonsupposedheopstemifrom hts
easily enough from his backers who once urged an invasion of hal supposed to stem from hi
in the National Assembly. North Vietnam and volunteered Mekong Delta origins and con
Another possibility is that Ky i to lead the first raid. siderable popularity among th
and Minh might both withdraw Ky now sees no military solu- Buddistsouth Vietnm's 18 mie
from the contest declaring the tion to the war and says victory lion people.
new election law is "undemocra- -' means "being left to live in peace
tic, unfair, and unconstitutional." on our side of the border." He Thus, the aspirants must try
Many observers feel the sec- also has suggested that any via- to appeal to all people - farm
ond alternative would be disaster ble government in Saigon-imply- ers, soldiers, civil servants, the
for the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, ing that the present one is not militantly anti-Communist Cath
who they say want Thieu to win viable - must represent former olics who fled North Vietnam, the
but only after a healthy-looking Viet Cong- and Viet Conag sym- broad spectrum of the politically
campaign and a close vote. pathizers. active Buddhists, and other re
As prime minister in 1966, Ky One Western diplomat in Viet- ligious sects.
oversaw the assembly which nam commented that he believed Some observers believe that i
drafted a constitution providing in many of Ky's ideas but that the Buddhists in strongholds
for a strong president and weak many of the Vietnamese, who around Hue and Da Nang can
vice president. ".respect above all a man who organize strongly by fall thi
A year later-Ky appeared the lives by his principles, . . Ky
favorite in early campaigning for -, seems like a spoiled brat who has could give Minh a solid bloc o
the presidency. The conventional -ssociated preso compromised his long-time be- votes.
view here is that American poli- . liefs in order to take potshots at
cy makers decided Thieu would Duong Van Minh Thieu."
make the more stable, reliable for peasants and planning for Minh likely faces similar diffi- Ae
and austere president. Ky wound for pesansmend pculties, "When Minh says he's
up as the constitutionally weak rural'development, 'ready to run under certain con-
No. 2 man. Thieu's entire approach is built ditions', it means he's still look-
Thieu sees his strength among around the theme of unyielding ing for a running mate and some
the farmers and the military- resistance to communism and its signs of solid support," one ob-
as well as the vast army of influence, whether open or in the server says.
civil servants who to some extent disguise of "neutralism," "coali- Banished into quasi-official ex-
are at his political mercy. , t ,, ile in Thailand after his short-
The 48-year-old president is tion," or 'compromise. lived revolutionary regime was
basing his campaign on the Ky has used recent public ap- deposed in January 1964, Minh

Y
a
:e
C
to
1-
is
1-
e
1-
e
I-
e
y
if
is
is
of

4R

J

r __ _ _w .,,_. _.... _._


1F

a