15 MARCH 1975, Page 3

'C uddles ' Kissinger The US Congress, and in particular some of

its spirited younger members, reflect the heartfelt wishes of the American people, and indeed the world, in resisting the creasing angry demands of Dr Kissinger for 300 million dollars for Cambodia. Dr Kissinger argues that this money has already been voted but not appropriated, and that it is only on this technicality that i it s not available to fulfil a moral obligation to supply ammunition for guns provided by the United States; further, that if the money is not appropriated, within a few days Phnom Penh will fall, though it is agreed by the hottest heads in the Defense Department that fall it will in any event. The only reward for yet further slaughter is a few weeks' more time for what Dr Kissinger argues may be a better peace. One is inevitably reminded of the words of that greater diplomat, King Edward VII, who, on being shown the ruins of Sebastopol by General Kotzedue, wrote home, "One cannot help but feel sad to thing that over 80,000 men perished — for what? For a political object: I could write you many more pages on the subject.. . ."

It is starting to look as if the Congress, and the American electorate, are becoming increasingly tired of their Secretary of State. There are signs that a return to a more traditional State Department, with the outlining of objectives in Washington and their implementation by experienced career diplomats in the field, might be more successful than what appear to be alternating bouts of the sabre-rattling fury and the mit-European schmaltz of an S.Z. (Cuddles) Sakall, who has delegated to himself a walking-on part in every dispute known to the human condition.