SOUTH VIET NAM OPTIMISM AT HONOLULU, PROBLEMS IN SAIGON IN ADMIRAL HARRY 
FELT'S REINFORCED CONCRETE COMMAND POST HIGH ABOVE PEARL HARBOR, TOP U.S 
. OFFICIALS LAST WEEK GATHERED FOR THE FIRST EXHAUSTIVE POLICY STUDY 
OF SOUTH VIET NAM SINCE THE COUP THAT TOPPLED THE DIEM 
REGIME THE NINE-HOUR CONFERENCE SECRETARY OF STATE DEAN RUSK, DEFENSE SECRETARY 
ROBERT MCNAMARA AND JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN MAXWELL TAYLOR HAD 
FLOWN IN FROM WASHINGTON ; FROM SAIGON CAME AMBASSADOR HENRY CABOT 
LODGE AND GENERAL PAUL HARKINS . THE HONOLULU MEETING EXUDED ALMOST 
RELENTLESS OPTIMISM ABOUT THE WAR, AND THE POLICYMAKERS CLUNG BRAVELY TO 
THE LINE THAT THINGS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY IN HAND BY 1965 
TO PERMIT COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF THE 16,500 AMERICAN TROOPS . JUST 
IN TIME . ONE OF THE FEW CONCRETE DECISIONS LEAKED FROM 
THE CONFERENCE WAS A HARDLY SURPRISING AGREEMENT TO INTENSIFY ANTI-GUERRILLA OPERATIONS 
IN SOUTH VIET NAM'S RICE BOWL, A WEDGE-SHAPED SECTION OF THE 
MEKONG DELTA FROM SAIGON SOUTH, WHERE ONE-THIRD OF THE POPULATION IS 
CONCENTRATED AND THE VIET CONG IS STRONGEST . ANOTHER DECISION : 
TO REVISE THE GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM . ALL TOO OFTEN 
IN THE PAST , RELUCTANT PEASANTS WERE HERDED INTO BLEAK " 
FORTIFIED " VILLAGES THAT WERE IN FACT INSUFFICIENTLY PROTECTED BECAUSE THEY 
WERE TOO HASTILY BUILT . MEANWHILE THE RED GUERRILLAS, WHO WERE 
SUPPOSED TO BE STARVING IN THE NO MAN'S LAND OUTSIDE THE 
HAMLETS, MANAGED TO LIVE WELL ENOUGH OFF THE LAND . HENCEFORTH, 
THE PLAN IS TO SEE THAT ALL EXISTING VILLAGES ARE REALLY 
DEFENSIBLE AND MORE PLEASANT TO LIVE IN, WITH SCHOOLS AND DISPENSARIES 
. AS THE CONFERENCE ADJOURNED, THE WAR IN SOUTH VIET NAM 
WAS PROCEEDING FITFULLY . NEW, AGGRESSIVE COMMANDERS REPORTED SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS 
AGAINST THE GUERRILLAS, BUT IN THE DELTA THE COMMUNISTS STILL SEEMED 
TO HAVE THE INITIATIVE . VIETNAMESE OFFICERS AND MANY OF THEIR 
U.S . ADVISERS CLAIM THAT BECAUSE OF DIEM'S MILITARY MISMANAGEMENT, THE 
COUP CAME JUST IN TIME TO KEEP THE COMMUNISTS FROM GAINING 
COMPLETE CONTROL OF TWO DISPUTED PROVINCES CLOSE TO SAIGON . THIS 
MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE, BUT THE ARGUMENT OFFERS A 
BUILT-IN CHANCE TO BLAME DIEM LATER, IN CASE THINGS SHOULD GO 
SERIOUSLY WRONG . NO MORE SIESTAS . IN SAIGON, LIEUT . 
GENERAL DUONG VAN ( " BIG " ) MINH, THE HEAD 
OF THE RULING MILITARY JUNTA, RODE ABOUT ALMOST UNNOTICED IN A 
BLACK CITROEN (IN CONTRAST TO DIEM'S VAST MOTORCADES), VISITING A FEW 
GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND MILITARY UNITS . HE ALSO OPENED PROMISING NEGOTIATIONS 
WITH VIETNAMESE SECTS THAT HAD WITHDRAWN SUPPORT FROM DIEM BUT WERE 
NOT READY TO RALLY TO THE NEW REGIME . BUT WHILE 
STILL CLEARLY FAVORED BY THE POPULATION, THE NEW REGIME SEEMED ODDLY 
RELUCTANT TO ASSUME POLITICAL LEADERSHIP . ONE OF ITS FEW DECISIONS 
: TO ABOLISH THE SIESTA THAT HAS TRADITIONALLY CLOSED GOVERNMENT OFFICES 
FOR 2F HOURS EACH AFTERNOON . DESPITE THE MOURNFUL YAWNS OF 
CIVIL SERVANTS, THE NEW DECREE ENABLES PEASANTS AND RURAL OFFICIALS TO 
COMPLETE THEIR BUSINESS IN THE CAPITAL EARLIER AND RETURN HOME SAFELY 
BEFORE DUSK, WHEN THE VIET CONG START HARASSING TRAFFIC ON ALL 
THE ROADS RADIATING FROM SAIGON . 