Laos: The Unseen Presence

It sometimes seems as if the U.S. Government would like to make the very existence of Laos classified information. Thus, when the country's Premier, Prince Souvanna Phouma, flew into Washington last week, the White House said as little as possible about his meeting with President Nixon. The U.S. these days is anxious to get out of Southeast Asia, not to get in deeper. Reflecting that mood, Senator Stuart Symington next week will begin hearings on the American involvement in Laos. To gauge the U.S. presence there, TIME Correspondents David Greenway and William...