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cca teem eer in nan aE SMR ee = “Maybe a Miracle vill Save Us’ By Broxson P, Crank Wes have always been hard on civilian popula: tions, but somchow the war in Vietnam, with the employment of modern weaponry (including air power) on an essentially peasant country produces civilian suf- fering in a manner difierent [rom that of past wars. As one well-known international correspondent said to me in speaking -of the American effort, “It's the invasion of the Martians!” : One result is that the country's primitive, provincial hospital system is overwhelmed with casualties of all ages and sexes. A New Zealand doctor told me as we walked through Qui Nhon hospital, “I believe there are more’ civilian casualties than all the military casualties on both sides combined.” This hospital did not have a laboratory omy of the name; patients were often placed wo to bed. Antcchambers to the two operating rooms were owded with wounded, some of them on makeshift cot? and mats, al] waiting their turn at the tables. 4 A similar hospital in Quang Ngai performs major: surgery and bone repair but does not even have an X-ray machine! Some American government aid reaches these hard-pressed hospitals, but they are sun by the Saigon Bovernment and suffer from slowness, bureaucratic in- ficiency, corruption, and the chaos resulting from the war. It seems ironic that while, in the interest of efficiency, the United States interferes with Saigon's military opera- ations, it respects Saigon’s sovereignty in medical matters. Before coming to Vietnam I was under the impression that the main fighting was taking place in remote, moun- tainous, guerrilla-dominated areas. In trips to cities and towns from the south to the northern city of Hué I found that most operations were undertaken in the populated _ and farming areas along the coast. I know of no-city in South Vietnam where travel beyond the city limits at night is regarded as safe. Except for air travel, American anilitary movements during the day are made in armed xotivoys> i | : —_—— ~12- Undicate page, nome c newspaper, city and « 1p.133,134-"P —_— Journ Philadelphia pate: 3/15/67. Edition: Vol. 13;! author: Bronson Edite:Frances 1 stew. Browin