European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 4 the stars and stripes tuna Driy april 23, Tammi. I to Chi Minh Nixon views Kennedy As vulnerable by Jack Bel Washington a the new new Nixon gives All the signs of hoping fervently that he will be running against  f. Kennedy in the presidential election. Former vice president Rich Ard m. Nixon May have taken to heart the Campaign bumper stickers that say i elegantly Bobby Ain t  in an event he seems to be guiding his Campaign for the Republican nomination toward a Quick take off against Kennedy if the Newyork senator is the democratic Choice. Nixon is displaying these Days smiling Jovial countenance a relaxed manner and an ability to laugh at himself. This new Nixon approach paid off for him in Fri Day s appearance before the american society of newspaper editors. The consensus among these newspaper executives was that in a question and answer session Nixon had completely overshadowed t h e lacklustre performance of new York gov. Nelson a. Rockefeller in Reading carefully honed speech on thursday. Of course Rockefeller was de livering some somber views on Urban ills while Nixon was Tak ing a much lighter generalized and personal approach. But even allowing for this most of the newsmen Felt Nixon out shone his potential rival for the nomination. Before the editors Nixon made it patently Clear that he views Kennedy As More vulnerable among his potential democratic rivals than either vice president Hubert ii. Humphrey or sen. Eugene j. Mccarthy of Minnesota. As a part of his strategy Nix on had Praise for president Johnson under attack by Ken Nedy and Mccarthy. He said Johnson wants peace As Muchas anyone since he is a proud Man who is concerned about misplace in  1 protected by closest aides nearly 78, to still reins William c. Baggs editor of the Miami news has made a second trip to North Viet Nam. His first visit was in january 1967. On both trip she was accompanied by Harry Ashmore former editor of the Arkansas Gazette and now executive vice president of the enter for the study of democratic institutions. This is thelast of Baggs reports on his findings. A by William c. Bagg Hanoi a to Chi Minh is an old Man he will be 78in May but he remains the prevailing influence in the government of North Vietnam. Indeed his thoughts and attitudes were detected by Many diplomats around Here in the responses of the country to president Johnson s gestures toward peace. Among the communists Orasia to is a moderate. He has never embraced the militant philosophy of Mao tse Tung to the North. Rather he edges to wards the soviet interpretation of Marx and Lenin and the impression you gather Here is that he favors coexistence inthe soviet style. Moreover he has surrounded himself by what you would de scribe As moderate communists with one exception. The exception is Truong Chinh chairman of the National As Sembly and by All reports Apro maoist. But Trungh Chinh s standing recently has been shaken. He was the runner up in the Hierarchy Here until lately. But he is now said to have been demoted to the number three spot in the party. The four other men of much influence Here Are be Duan Secretary general of the communist party and regarded As the no. 2 Man to to. Pham Van Dong prime minister. To Nguyen Giap the head general who also serves As de sense minister. Nguyen Duy Trinh foreign minister. All four unlike Truong Chinh reveal no sympathy for the strident ways of chinese communism. And All four Are de voted to to Chi Minh. There is a visible concern forthe old patriarch. After All he has been a Leader of the Viet namese Independence move ment for almost half a Century and he is the founder of the government and country Here. Cine or Hinterer said to relieve him of ail usary business of details c ministration which a needed to be attended to thus he has become the a def pol icy and he i s ministration is to the other five men when few the establishment " of pow sin North Vietnam. P wer the concern is obvious in the Way the ministers insist on to working in Safe places. One pm planned we try to Allais Bis presence so that he will not have to run or hurry to a she Ter in the event of an air raid 1 this has meant that to often does his work far from Hanoi probably in the mountains to the North and West and he is trans sorted to the City it is �.lieved, by helicopter. It of 3rnt Wurf a  a or i i t a ,. Foft for duty a Salvo Isle to de from the huge guns of battleship new Jersey during sea tests. After 16 it turf in Moth barfs the  a Shau still a Thorn in the Side of . Forces Saigon up for More than two years North Vietnam Ese troops have brazenly held Small but immensely important piece of South vietnamese territory called the a Shau Valley. It remains in communist hands today perhaps the Only area of South Vietnam Undis put edly controlled by the North vietnamese. The americans have been powerless to do anything about a Shau except Pound it unmercifully with bombs. In spite of the fantastic amounts of bomb dropped there Over the past 25 months a Shau continues to Bea major North vietnamese base for the infiltration of men an supplies into South Vietnam s Northern  across the laotian Border like a Thorn in the Sid of South Vietnam the Jush Green Valley was yielded to the communists March 11, 1966, when North vietnamese troops Over ran a . Special forces Camp there. Today a Shau Lias once again become a Thorn in the Side of the american military command. Since the recent lessening of communist pressure on Khe Sanh in recent Days attention has focused on the North Viet namese stronghold at a Shau particularly As a result of a tremendous increase in the number of b52 raids in the Val Ley area. The increased bombing has followed reports of several significant developments in the Lashau Region in recent weeks. For the first time in the War North vietnamese armoured vehicles either tanks or a Mored personnel carriers have been detected in the a Sha Valley. Late last month a unit of the . 1st Cav div airmobile ran into a North vietnamese Force employing some form Ofa Mored vehicles about 25 Miles Northwest of Hue. It was the farthest Inland sighting of communist Armor. The a Shau Valley is the terminus of a communist Supply route that winds about 50 mile across South Vietnam s thua Thien province ending jus South of the Imperial capital of Hue. . Military sources said Early last month that the Road is capable of supporting heavy truck convoys and armoured vehicles at relatively High  far the . Military command is gambling that intensified bombing will so disrupt the communist operational a Shau As to make unnecessary a ground assault on the Valley and the great losses that would certainly follow. Editor in Chw european coition col. Jame8 w. Campbell Usa. It. Col. F. 8. Michael jr., aft of. Deputy Mert Proctor. .�t.,. .,.,.,. Managing editor Elmer d. Frank. Production mania Henry 8. Epstein. .,.�,. Circulation Mana fan unofficial new Puper of and for the u.8. Arm a Force published by the commander let chef u.8. European command and print a Dally at . Military a Drewi the Stan and 8trlp, Apo 09178. International Mah the Star and strip a Tea a 14, fl1.darmtt