Nation: AUGURIES OF A BREAKTHROUGH

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NOT since North Viet Nam first agreed to sit down at the negotiating table with the U.S. had prospects seemed so good for a major move toward peace. There was no single, compelling piece of evidence that Hanoi was about to make important concessions in return for complete suspension by the U.S. of its bombing attacks on North Viet Nam. But the hopeful hints and tantalizing suggestions continued to pile up. For that reason, an air of suspense enveloped the Cabinet Room of the White House last week as Lyndon Johnson began his press conference. He had scheduled it well in advance, and there was considerable speculation that he had done so in order to make a spectacular announcement. What he had to say proved distinctly undramatic. "We do not want to make news," the President declared, "until there is news."

Nonetheless, there were distinct auguries that a breakthrough might be near. The news surfaced that the No. 2 U.S. negotiator, Cyrus Vance, has been meeting secretly in Paris for some time with his North Vietnamese counterpart, Colonel Ha Van Lau. Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin saw Secretary of State Dean Rusk twice in Washington, pressing Moscow's view that Hanoi is ready to be helpful. In Pe king, the New China News Agency reported for the first time that talks were under way between Washington and Hanoi—as if to prepare the Chinese people for the possibility of a dramatic new turn in the war. In New York City, Richard Nixon issued a statement suggesting that he, too, was convinced a bombing pause was imminent.

Not Enough. For all the omens, there was still no definitive sign of a break in the barriers after nearly six months of negotiations in Paris. One Administration expert concluded: "Basically, we are pushing the same old counters we've pushed since May. During the past month we've been pushing them around more swiftly, to be sure. But that's the only difference."

There is no real secret about what now divides the U.S. and North Viet Nam. There are two issues, and each came under intense scrutiny last week:

1) If President Johnson orders an end to all bombing of North Viet Nam—which he can do at any moment for diplomatic reasons, for domestic political reasons, or for no stated reason at all—will the enemy similarly de-escalate, or will he simply take advantage of the lull to regroup and resupply his forces? The voices from Hanoi were obscure. Administration sources claim Hanoi says "we will understand what to do" if the U.S. halts the bombing. In Paris, Communist Negotiator Xuan Thuy said smilingly: "If President Johnson really wants to stop the bombing unconditionally, he himself knows there are numerous favorable opportunities." So far, these hints have not been enough for L.B.J.