◆ SpookStack

Te H anol and the Trek of the Phoenix Preliminaries “Thou shalt mot kilf~except thine | enemy” is how the Filth Commandment is usually inverpreted. But for the nine pacifists who sailed the s0-foot yacht Phoenix, laden with medical supplies, into the North Vietnam harbor of Hai- ‘ phong during Holy Week this ycar, as well as for their sponsor (A Quaker Action” Group—A.O.AGj, the Old Testament version still” holds: “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” Besides, they contend that viewing other men a: “rhe enemy" SR Seg ese es Sabwes pee ee at tts himits constructive relationships and pre- ven reconciliation among men, that the truce “enemy” is not other men but disease, poverty, war and ignorance. The Phoenix sailed frst from Tokyo to Hiroshima, where A-bomb victims, - physicians and civilians helped che crew - select, purchase, package and load the '. anedical supplies. During this part of the voyage and the absequent sailing to ao Fan mae Baten Ta wasl a1Gng wong, ony memotr eeery svarue man of Wisconsin, mother of six, and I were in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where “| we had gone by plane to interpret the | voyage to North Vietnam representa- “gives there; 20 provide information on. the crew, cargo, markings, schedule and | * " route; and to obtain permission ro sail _ ‘into Haiphong harbor. Betty tien few . to Hong Kong for the last part of the - voyage; I went on to Hanoi to Prepare a fou .L. Laid ne yachi'’s airival. HAIPHONG Wize Rosita with permission from The Christian Centuyy Avucust z 1967 An Isolsied Capital In many ways Hanoi is isolated. From the west the only approach is by the International Contro] Commission plane which makes a circular tip stopping at aaigon, Phnom Penh, Vientiane and Hanoi on Fridays and alternate Tues days. Many fights do not get to Hanoi because of bad weather or US. bomb- ing: my Aight encountered neither. I was met by five Red Cross officials who greeted me warmly and ushered me into a private room in the terminal, where we got acquainted, drank tea and filled - out customs papers. Tc was through the North Vietnam Red Cross that I made the arrangements for the Phocnix's ar- rival and our week's stay. Hanoi is a beautiful piace, similar tw y cities in southern France with parks, Takes, wide trec-Jined streets and boule- vards. There are few cars; most people . walk, ride bicycles or travel by bus or astreeteor, I eaw few school-age children: most of thera have been evacuared to ‘ surrounding villages because of antici-- pated US. rir atcacks.. Commerce is decentralized as much at possible, with much activity taking place at night _. Most goods are moved on human ~ . shoulders, on bicycles or on carts pulled _ by oxen or people. The city is a culcurai © cemer with many mueums, nightly opera performances, theaters which pre- -eank mlave and varieiy shows, MANY Mt. ~ 7 eae wt ial belied ‘5 we, ERenry TRO SRE oe mr ome a Sg ARTE Re op A Re I ETT me i ene by CARL P. ZIETLOW de houses offering films made in Nor Viewnwn. Arrival and Reception Acziving in Haiphong after miduig! the Phocnix and its crew were worn welcomed by about 40 people from t naiionai and Haiphong Red Cross so eties. That welcome of flowers a fricndship was in sharp contrast to t welcome of flack and fire that grect other Americans earlier that evening they bombed the ousskirts of the cicy. In all our communications we made clear that our aid was for civilian ec: alics of che war, and we were assur that our intent would be honored. ‘\ consigned the supplies to the natjor Red Cross at the dock, following 1 with a symbolic ceremony at the surgi hospital in Hanoi. The crew and I wanted to meet P pic, see whe effects of the war on cit dans, visit some bombed villages, set the aspirations of the North Vietnam: and discuss future projects with R Cross officiais and che Comunitiee | the Defense of Peace. ‘The North Vi namese wanted to hear from us abc Quakers. Kepresentatives of the pes commitrer, of the Red Cross, of varic mewspapers and magazines and of — - bor, women's, youth and chiklren’s | ganizations atiendced a meeting at whi “we detcribed the Quakers’ belicis: th