More in relief than hope, 14 nations at Geneva last week wearily signed sheaves of agreements that assuredat least on paperthe neutrality of Laos under a left-right-center coalition government. As middle horse of the shaky troika, neutralist Premier-Prince Souvanna Phouma was away early. Rotund and placid Souvanna flew into Washington National Airport, pumped Secretary of State Dean Rusk's hand, and announced exactly what he wanted: money.
As a last-ditch weapon to make the quarreling factions form a government, the U.S. had cut off its regular $3,000,000 monthly subsidy to Laos, which is...