Kennedy went on to condemn Nixon's use of "chauvinistic phrases to appeal to someone's idea of the average American." calling it "demeaning to a great nation."

Edwin O. Reischauer, University professor and former ambassador to Japan, voiced the same fears about the President's rhetoric yesterday. "I was most distressed about the way in which he phrased the whole thing," he said. "He kept talking about not being the first president to lose a war, about the need for toughness."

"It is conceivable that it is a necessary step in order to go ahead with the withdrawal program. I don't know that much about it." Reischauer said. "I'm more concerned about the way in which it was justified in the sense that it gets us into a test of wills-which is what we don't want to be involved in."

Alexander B. Woodside, assistant professor of History and lecturer in History 182c ("History of Modern Vietnam"), was more critical of the invasion, saying it was "based on a series of false propositions."

Woodside said that the invasion would play into the hands of the more militant North Vietnamese leaders who wish to retain a wartime economy and prolong the war.

Nixon said yesterday that the test of his decision will be whether "it comes out right." He spent most of the day on a luncheon cruise on the Potomac with his family and with close friend C. G. Bebe Rebozo.