Oldal 2 [2]
OCR
XeAede September 32. - page two - . The meeting was of extreme importance, as it worked out the lines | of a common defense of Indochina and South=Hast Asia. The particppants. agreed on the primary role to be given, at the present time, to the i problem of national defense: the number ef troops to be involved, thei’ equipment and the financial participation in the common war effort. | Vietnam, in particular, pledged 40% of its budget to be used for | military purposes. Despite this priority to be @iven, by necessity, to the continuation of the war, Emperor Bao Dai and his new Prime Minister N*Guyen Van Tam, have worked out a broad program of political, af economic and social reorganization of the country. Leid out in June, . this project has today already started to function. A detailed report received from Saigon shows the «reat possibilities contained ! in the realization of such large-scale program. From a political and administrative point of view, the aims of an independent Vietnam is that of decentralization and and democratization. In July, a Temporary National Council was created. This is an assembly of 21 members, representing the Vietnamese regions and its “"spkrritual families" . It is a consultative body, whose advice has to be gtained in any major decision, especially for the es tablishment of the national budget. A temporary institution, it will cease | i exist on the day, on which the Representative Assembly will be elec ready to meet. ; I The importance of such council should not be overlboked. Prime Ministe N*'Guyen Van Tam has explained its meaning: the fact of calling togethe a new assembly, in the middle of a war and despite the conditions of | insecurity, will show the world and above all our compatriotes under communistic dictatorship, on which si@e can be found a truely popu lar and free regime eee ; ; In view of evaluating what auth atone meme ia Southomas tern Asia, it is enough to recall that, at the same time, regional traditions and autonomies - although deeply mtrenched in public life - are systematically wiped out in Red China. The Vietnamese expewience, supported and erouraged by France - is likely to strengthen Asiatic defenses,even from a propagandistic and traditional point of viewe seonomic problems, in a time of war, have to emphasize the two main pumposes: the reconstructionA and the intensification of production. This can be realized only by a concentration of effortse In view of realizing this aim, Emperor Bao Dai has taken the initiative of creating a mixed economic council. France, the Vietnam and the allied nationa are to send their representatives and experts to meet regularly and map out a common action for increased productivity and amejioration of living conditions in " wuth=-Eas tern Asiatic areas now gravely damaged by warfare or by general insecurity. Finally, Emperor Bao Dai and his government have openly stressed the social problem as being of greatest concern to the countrye For the rural areas - the rich rice, rubber, corn, sugar and tea plantations - a vast program of age land reform has been foreseene eee
