The Press: A Job for Joe?

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In South Viet Nam, Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu is much more than Bachelor President Ngo Dinh Diem's sister-in-law and a Christian first lady in a Buddhist land. She is also a pert, sloe-eyed and strong-willed feminist who, as a member of the National Assembly, pushed through a "chastity law" that reins in freewheeling husbands and gives wives more freedom to plan their own lives. To outspoken and powerful Madame Ngo, the cheating husbands of the journalistic world are the foreign correspondents, who are not subject to the Directorate General of Information "guidance" that all South Viet Nam newspapers receive.

In an interview with a Western reporter, Madame Ngo suggested that the Western press, which never seems to agree on anything, might take a lesson from the Communist press, which never seems to disagree on anything. Specifically, she would like Western correspondents to establish a committee to decide on a common line to follow. Her choice for chairman: Syndicated Columnist Joseph Alsop, whose gloomy columns on South Viet Nam have generally mirrored Diem's line. "He fully understands the situation here," said Madame Ngo. When her guest politely replied that neither he nor his colleagues always agreed with Columnist Alsop, Madame Ngo showed her best feminist style. "Well," said she, "if you won't be convinced by people who really know the truth, then I can't help you."