Page Six

T H E Ml CH IGA N DA ILY

S d A il 28 1957

- rpru O, tXI


CMPLEXSIGO:
By RICHARD HALLORAN were loaded aboard ships furnish- Of the former, indecisive, uncer- ously by a "pope", Pham Cong rTHE ONLY conclusion to be
Daty Staff Writer ed by the United States Navy to eain Ngo Dinh Diem, as premier Tac, Cao Daists had serious inten- drawn regarding their inten-
THE DULL crunch of four ex- flee to the south where they would of the unstable national govern- tions of expanding their own gov- tions is that they were out for as
ploding mortar rounds within escape the oppressive thumb of ment, was trying to lead his people emnent machinery to include all
the grounds of the official Saigon Communism, along a road to independence of the nation, making their religion mauch personal power and loot
residcnce of South Vietnam's pre- In the south, Viet Minh esuer- both France and the Communists. the national one. they could get their hands on.
mier Ngo Dinh Diem at midnight, rillas, under the white flag of A hindrance was Emperor San Scsi appears to have had no con-
>arch 29, 1955, tosuched rift the truce, slow'ly emerged from their Dai, French puppet, technically THE CAD DAT military leader, structive program. He and his fol-
.final phase of a complicated poli- strongholds and hideouts to be "Chief of State." Descendant of General Nguyen Thanh Phu- lowers eventually became partial
hecal-military struggle which had rearae h ot.Not all the ancient line of Nguyen em- ong, was a chubby, effusive soldier mercenaries, allied with the 5Bin
'ts beginnings in the days immedi- f hmet. An untold tnumber perors of Annam, Han Dat had wh cainlysoe upi-Xuyen.
ately following the Jipatuse stir- m rely put aside tseir weapons been sPaced on the throne by the ' ho AcHoaiHasldyssidend saspthe
render in August, 1945. and faded into the countryside. Fretch its return for aFrench lug indications of believing in a.AHoHadsidnws h
A portrayal of the various tar- They became setminagly intsocuous conirotling hand in Vietnam. castse greatet than hi. ambition, guerrils who cut off a itl fisae
lions, itnterests, men and msotisa-. armsers, awaiting the call from a tiodern national 51-ate f or all to protest French domination. He
lions insotred in this roistlie, the north to risr in arnas aoiinst pLEASURE-losing Bao Dai, car- Victtnamese, also vowed never to cot his hair
rather than an otline of sent thrir southern brothers. ing not. one sehit fior thse ssel- Aotr a in it ni iiaaw.te rmta
halapenedi its is an nmm Il In S ugon, c spit ii of southerta fire or frecdoma of his peope 'oThe Caodd Da smalln bstilate Fnti Vitncmh. rm h
romuplra polstus 1 siu liii . n Virhimm poitirsi nia'r -ellsos ''ruled'' fr as his p ii it it rs rt hcmmnin malbthte rnh
Whic 188,11 to clxe isticaiy igne. Ablae'cpic onoom-on he renc Riiel. weret i lcut lore aich had split tilt Ba Cut maintained a sarong-
is hat i pill too ie iituica icratoi natikalersnd fconl Fo us Fciernt Pick s sa h e rrons the mai laody ol Cao Li sm held in theg marshy resion sosith-
totsr at ste is' c' sisal ta cinr inni ot its itiii l f an dit rsio it t ta sos rrsntaid its a'inm 1551 to t a'e tip sitsat Thse la- awct ot 0'i'0 nad isosed only
of the siiitaitahrs ptisai ol li..r iss inns sisd mots'aiioiis slim i to tag a i supli of sicklIn" eunerals sllatd iissn atsyt waiuos as nt. a in ul a suieto whih peoa t-h
Pisred ,ictnsaim, use slate stiren I- eat, siupremaisy. ,nti touts ihari oudeis tunam tsheasittins table ar icie th eimu est i goal tar s onlyt
ii.' souts firom usc I 7ii p is alci I t i a s e sshasth w ouldt asic Frereta tli'th Coimmissiotac. creiuttighte rhanae 01ndi ica toe in pLske mnd h and onpro
slotsm r e altem i lt of the I usned Bisis rk anid Metteriur An uuaui i sortitl pisenomeinon, iuerlylty fgt om hs barstsa hv t am to folowr one hed go thre.
Tndchinsese punisul. ovet in thuera "ep'tire "cr' s as' the relitoius nedt contritbuted a is rlel rm ut dyan perouaghrm tota ow enrch lsel te
Under Fiends dominaunit simae tanmpait. And not itifrequetatly the large laurtioti of disonity in South hiaderelipt btdnmcprna ther expen tof anyone elmse
th e turn nf liar tsw'ttirtha rentur, pot its a hint tise ingredients Vietisam. Aetoally political andsad elhp h xes fayn le
invaded by the Japaise durinag titred beiled over nam oiiena atid military lactions, in one instance Tehdfoughat, at one time or Thse last of the sects was the
World War II, subjugated by a vintent elalici, powerful etnugis In be a semi- ante, he Viet Minis, French, notoriosts Binh Xuyen. Having no
Frenchi Ex'peditinary Force t utotnmon' . tate-ssitthn-a-statIc Japanese, and the other sects. Al- semblance of religious beliefs
1945, since then rise scene of in- ADDING 'ID the complexity of there were three of these -the though motirvated isrimarily by the sehatever, this outfit wan an or-
cessant ciii war, both conven- tthe situ stin were thse forceful Can Dal. H'ta Has, ad Hints Xuy- desire for his own aggrandize- ganization of river pirates benat
tionl ad gerrllaVienamhadandofte coorfl prsonlites n--en.ment. he also had some feeling' fnr on exploiting any available source.
a tenuosts peace after the Getneva solved. Not only were the various The sirotngest, bolts politically a united Vietnam anad ultimately A fear yearn earlier, in retuarn for
Conference anad sartition of Juliy interests quite ditferent in objec- and militarily was Can Dai, whose gave his life in battle for Vietna- their barking, Bao Dal had given
1954. tire, but multitude of the lead- retigios base was an amaiga ma- niese unity, the Hints Xuyen control and opec-
era and their nwna policies and am- tion of Buddhisms, Confuciansism, Hos Han, a semi-Buddhist sect, stion of two vital facets of life in
NORTH OF the 1'7th parallel, the bitins often determined t ts e Tani.sm, anad Roman Catholirismi. had been founded snmewhsat 1atr 5aigon, the police and vice.
Communsist Viet Musts were course the affair took. Founded as a mystic society in than Can Dai and had not de-
consolidating power under tiheir The contenders in Saigon ca n 1915, it crew in mumber and veloped hate the state the latter THE SECT tecame the police
brilliant leader, Ho Clhi Mints. And be divided into tw croups; the strength until it controlled a site- bad. It was, however, a political force and all gambling, prosti-
vefugees by the thousanads poured Vietnamese factions arrurgling for able territory from a capital in and especially military power with tution, and other assorted vice.
ouit of the hills and deltas, from power and the non-Vietnansese Tay Hints, a city 15 miles north which to be reckoned. Tan Van were incorporated as its private
the rice paddies 'nd towns to rise 'ho baceked the diverse indigen- 0f 5aigons. Sosi led the main body of Boa domain and source of income.
seaport of Hiaiphsoig. There they o's segmenats. Headed politically and religi- Hso troops, Leader of this mob was Bay Vien,
CAUS IN TRANSITION

By FREDERILK IMACUS
ALBERT CAMUS hat rtten m
new book entied The Fall. HIs
publishers hail it as a work of
genius. The Anmertian readitig
public currrntty rankls it nunmber
yeen in ipoipulat thtuss patitng it
ehindt rich wors as Peytets P1' em.
ned TIhm PItatelphtan. Petimap.'
Caiun" puiblilhr r ih.
Betfnrc discssaina The P tll, a
few comtunts on C mii. tHi Ia
enjoyed a recetit lssuslatrtry in tlsis
country, estircially sama' thse
vosusger readcrs 01 sue geiscrii.
Perlhaps isis muost sorulat swnikis
The Stranger, a bnok thait has 1e-
come a prercqusite its lse lustratry
of thse Soon' collce'e ititeltertuml-
I am tnt britn' faciona: thseic
Is a 'nod rca. siot or ThSrang(rs
popsitarity amotrg the vnung ats-
thetes. Th lurolsionist tat hs
book is a 'ontg Algeri-in who hen-
sstiy hielieses that hanth hi,' lite,
and the live: of lisi letliw men,
are mcaninsgtess In the poitat of be-
ing absurd. Grsntingo this, any-
thing goes.
The youn' man, Meut'rsult,
fashions his own ethic or morality,
and for most of us who care even
a little, Meursault's' moral stand-
ard is amoral. The hero or villain
of The Stranger, depending upon
your point of view, finds pleasure
only in the simpler facets of his
sensually oriented life. On larger
Issue', such as man's obiL ation to
humanity or belief in God, Meur-
sault passes to the highest bidder-.
The murder of an Arabian against
whom he had no particular greir-
ance leads to Meursault's demise-.
But he really wasn't convicted
for the murder so much as for his
attitude in prison. Meursault
wouldn't repent; he felt neither
guilt nor remorse, and this out-
raged his judgers, the cottrt jury
and the priest. Especially the
priest, Camus emphasizes.,
BUT HOW does this affect you or
me? We haven't killed anyone;'
yet,
A view of the world as absurd,
with felinm of a ath vs the


He EXpresses No Sympathy


F-or I te Hero or 'The ralir
rsult, sties a mnmeumus elhoid ir would be moom semisa to say trpped of worldly pos'sessions, hag.
munmany oh its. Dur cueetmmn limt mu The Fall we ,ren't told takes phinosophic delight its help-
lets a tl it thst post World W'ur I whit to do, but list net tn do. in,- other people - thr derelicts
gi'icition. sccims to misc addedt a uhe rcst is left to us. who imhabit the bar thsmt is Cila-
tarw dumnassmon to ltar Arc of Ala As the tacket imfortms us, the nmer'es headguarters.
sumty. We ar thu muntombuilt' ad- settist ot 11am tall is -ala citd bar Bust a1 ttsc sahile, Jeam-Baptiste
-a u intu t ofusa ml i'of mu Amastctram, .nd tthc mais who' should be romncerned 'ith his own
ama arsse o ls 01 unu ae dimes all the tatkiing is sis es-Fani- situation. Hir rants and raves
aNi iat time spmile of mumn hasnc sIan laswyetr- "pleader of noble; abosut hoir sorrid it is for oune
Nxiir tue hi arely sr miss caisis, secure in his selt-e term, group of nurn to judge another
paricularl nsaork't mhurcla ss mrvalely a libertine, yet sipparun- ..rup; ini tfrt, for Jesin-B pliate,
yars.iclary a uare ae mmadaIe ly unmmaune to juudament." judgment seesms to be the worst of
itarl Imniu etr huse thsois willsint Camus portrait beromes quitr all paossible hum.an 'railties. After I
mhat nlgy Sinoug has si ltedh- nounusinag omnce we titnish the book tagesi and p.ageo of 'elf-disparage-
moregy thnce ur ai hsi tent ian tad statt ttying to fhaure nut what m uct, Clamemnce is liable to appear
loica tacvanyemete m '- mhn- it all tsa.ns. Jean-Baptiste Cl.-' porgcd of .11 his evils and serms
login1 avanemen, mr mndsmencm, again hero or villain, de- In harm hmuathy attained '. state
sem to be ostt of tunic. 'cribes himself a' a judge-peni- of grace.,
The ynung m-au gradrtsting from tent. The reader i' liable to become Tel all the whime hr comntinues to
eollri'e today is facned w'ilh a ma-t so itmpressed with Clamenne - i judge, but Camus has so skillfully
rhine-cluttedl waneld whans 5 sid wa. -- thast he temndo to forget that' crented this character and his ex-
of Damonles is thmm nitrcar wea- Clamennc- himself ass'omed this ternal humility ttsat we are apt to
pon. Many yong pcoplr cower mn title, be taken in. Ciamence really hasn't
ts,. fare of all this; they shrink Asa Parisian lawyer, Jean Hap- anconmplis'hed a thing. Hr practices
oa'ay and withdraw into a he.sa tiste was above repro' ch, defend- the one thin~ he detests judg-
merhanized, more individualistic, ing poor people free of charge, ment,
personally fabricated universe, always polite, socially charming, In fact, it is quite probable that
Wanting either courage or moth- bearing ill will toward no man, Jean-Baptiste's sole reason for re-
vation, but especially the latter, Outwardly he was a model gentle- nounring his worldly possessions is
many of us who are unable to fare man, but he was perceptive enough identical to his quest for them in
the problem of having our lives to analyze his "goodness" as a the first place, Be wants to be
fitted to a groove simply ignore the mere front, ' above reproach. Since the acquisi-
'orid and assume an attitude of Clamence tells us that Use sole tion of success didn't accomplish
indifference. For this type of per- reason for all his noble deeds was this, perhaps the self-conscious re-
son, Cagnus' The Stranger is terni- that they gave him a much needed nunciation of it will. It doesn't.,
bly significant, and cherished feeling of superi-
However, The Fall is quite an- ority. His assumed selfiesness also 1N COLLEGE terms then, Jean-
other story and doesn't apply to gave him, art he thought, the right Bapitste Clamenre is, or was, the
these people. If they think it to judge others, Not until Clx- successful man about campus, xc-
does, they're not only kidding mence was witness to a suicide he live yet humbhe, who, in his sen-
themselves but what is worse, might have prevented did he real- tot year, suddenly and mysterinus-
they've missed the point of the tee that he ton shared in the guilt ly resigns from the panorama of
book. of humanity and hart no right to college life and takes up residence
remain spiritushly aloof from it either in he library or a down-
THE FALL ha a tricky book, but travail, town bar. Fom this new vantage
a good one, and like most good 'point, Joe ex-college willingly re-
books, the reader's task doesn't be- THIS INCIDENT was the pre- lates, toanyone who will bther o
gin until he has finished it. At cipitating factor In two years listen, the meaninglessness of his
first, The Fall seems to be rather of intense introspection that led participation in school affahrs.
negative. Camus' point is present- Clamence to heave his reputation He magnanimously strips him-
ed so subtly that in saying noth- and position behind him In Paris self bare and tells us that his only
ing, he says a great deal. Perhaps and come to Amsterdam, Here, motives were selfish ones and that

he really didn't wire a danmn for
rise student body or the Univernity.
This is the camapus version of
Jean-Baptiste Clamenre. He fools
taany of us; but not for a moment
does he fonl Camus.
As Catmus seems to poimnt out, the
renunciation of externals, aspiri-
to.a1 externals that Is, i. only the
hi-st step its the spiritual pilgrim-
age. Clamencr loss run agronid
just after tsr nmade an dmuiratslr
at.t This was C.amns' intention
in portraying the character.
I was 'speaking to a learned grim-
tlcnu'n whn informed me that
among other thinags, Clamence
was risily a parody of Bartr'.
existemntialist. I know little about
existrmntialism except that it seems
to be a new iname for omethinug
entightened people have always
dune and as for Sortie, all na
knowledge of him is that hr wetars
glasses and a long scarf.
Whal that statement seems to
'amims is this. Ciamensce has obvi-
ously exhibited a freedom of
choice. He determines his environ-
ment and controls his future. Tis,
apparently, is a very existentialist
corn of thing, But Clamence's big
decision is really shabby.
True, he doesn't parade behind
ha .ners of kindness or charity,
but he has wasted a wonderful
gift; 'the gift to make a choice,
Here is where Camus takes his
philosophic poke at Satre. It's all
very well and good to glory in
forging your own destiny, but
what's the amuse of freedom If it'.
used negatively? This eems to be
Camus' statement and it is won-
derfully presented in the person of
Clamence.
IN THE 1ast analysis, for Camus,
Clamance, or clemency, as it
appears in this book, is a most
negative character. It must have
been a pleasurable experience ton
the author to create a personality
and take him along the road of
his spiritual growth up until the
time they reached the bar In A-
aterdam.
But here they parted company
See THE FALL', page 11