Royal Popularity

Of the three fragmented states of French Indo-China, the land of Cambodia (pop. 4,500,000) stands the best chance of survival. It is rich in rice, rubber, tobacco, teak, pepper and well-watered soil, has only a small Communist movement, and its devoutly Buddhist people are homogeneous. But among its most important assets is its young King Norodom Sihanouk.

Swallows in the Palace. At 32, King Norodom is plump, with thick black hair and a taste for black knitted ties. At his palace, an elegant blend of saffron and apricot coloring, King Norodom maintains a stable of thoroughbred horses, ceremonial elephants and a personal troupe of 50 dancing girls. While swallows dart freely above him. King Norodom will often play the saxophone, or conduct his own personal orchestra. He also writes movie scripts and produces them, occasionally playing the lead himself. Once he was great as a mad scientist, turning human victims into zombies at the prick of his devil's needle. "If I ever lose this king job," he remarked, "then maybe I can go to Hollywood. They like Oriental characters over there, don't they? Maybe I could be a Cambodian Charlie Chan."

Unlike other frolicsome Asian monarchs, however, King Norodom has a sense of duty and a flair for politics. In his 13 years on the throne, King Norodom pressured the French for independence. In June 1953 he fled with fanfare to neighboring Thailand, where he swore he would remain until the French gave way. King Norodom subsequently returned, started training an army of 100,000 volunteers, as the French decided to quit Cambodia. "A young man with a wise head," commented Jawaharlal Nehru admiringly.

In April 1954, King Norodom defended Cambodia's new freedom against a determined Viet Minh invasion; in July he instructed his delegation at Geneva to hold out for his right to seek alliance with the U.S. and to rearm. After the treaty signing was delayed for five hours, Chou En-lai and Molotov gave way.

Favor at the Polls. Under the terms of Geneva, the King is required to hold a general election in 1955. Last week King Norodom began to move against his outstanding unsolved problem--a wiry, older nationalist called Son Ngoc Thanh, who is holed up in the jungle. Thanh's People's Movement Party stands to do well against the royalist Union Party in the general elections scheduled for next April, and Norodom was anxious to steal a march on him. The King called a sudden, nationwide referendum. Question put by monarch to people: "Have I kept my promise to give you total independence?" The Cambodian response was overwhelming: yes, 794,875; no, 1,276.

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