Himalaya Lullaby

The beleaguered Tibetans who have just declared a revolution against the Communist Chinese bear a certain tragic resemblance to the rabbits in Thurber's tale of The Rabbits Who Caused All the Trouble. Like rabbits, Tibetans are pastoral, non-aggressive. Unlike rabbits and Chinese, Tibetans would not score highly in any "survival of the fittest" struggle among cultures. "Our religion is going," our race is going," says Gayalo Thondap, a brother of the Dalai Llama.

"The wolves threatened to civilize the rabbits if they didn't behave," Thurber relates, "and the rabbits decided to run away to a desert island.

"'You must stay where you are and be brave. This is no world for escapists' said the other animals. 'If the wolves attack you, we will come to your aid, in all probability.'"

India's Nehru, who has as much reason to care as anyone, has displayed a great deal of feeling for the Dalai Lama, whom he hopes will continue to be safe. But he does not seem to know how he should feel towards the Tibetans themselves. He praised India's consul general in Tibet for refusing to accompany Tibetan women in a protest march, and declared, "We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of China, with whom we have friendly relations." It's not, Nehru feels, lack of concern but "noninterference."

But despite the moral sleaziness in which India's position is couched, it is difficult to see how she could attempt anything more vigorous than a "strong moral stand" against China. Until the West revises its concepts of what a revolution is and what "internal affairs" are, it is unlikely that any help will be given groups like the Tibetans. And since Red China is not a member, even the United Nations cannot be appealed to in this case.

In Thurber's tale, the wolves finally tied up all the rabbits in a cave. The other animals noticed they were missing and began to ask questions. The wolves replied that the rabbits had been eaten, and since they had been eaten it was a purely internal matter. "They were escapists," said the wolves, "and, as you know, this is no world for escapists."