Gunnar Myrdal

Dr. Gunnar Myrdal has sent a background paper on "The Moral Isolation of the United States".

At a recent Dress conference Dr. Myrdal, 69, urged "an orderly withdrawal" from Vietnam by the U.S.A. To replace American military resistance to communism he called for strong birth control campaigns by South Asian governments, quick boosts for agriculture, thorough land reform, and an overhaul of the educational system.

In a three-volume, 2284-page study, "Asian Drama: An Inquiry into the Poverty of Nations", released three weeks ago in New York, the Swedish economist pulls no punches.

Written alter ten years of preparation, three of which were spent in the area, the book may not be welcomed in Asia.

Basic Asian character defects listed by Dr. Myrdal include: "Low levels of work discipline, punctuality and orderliness; superstitious beliefs and irrational outlook; lack of alertness, adaptability, ambition and general readiness for change and experiment; contempt for manual work; submissiveness to authority and exploitation; low aptitude for cooperation.

"There is little hope in South Asia for rapid development without greater social discipline."

If the United States takes Gunnar Myrdal's suggestion seriously, and does make "an orderly withdrawal," there is little doubt that the communists will apply his "greater social discipline."