Evening star., 1943-12-03
Repotrioted Writer Declares
Jops Expect 100 Years War
North American Nsvspapse Alliance.

North American Nswspapes Alliance.
NEW YORK, Dec. 3.-Forty
pounds underweight. Royal Arch
Gunnison, North American News
paper Alliance correspondent and
the only radio correspondent re-
turned among the nearly $500 re-
patriates aboard the exchange ship
Gripsholm, related on his arrival
some dramatic incidents of his two
years in Japanese prison camps. Mr.
Gunnison was accompanied by his
wife, who also was interned by the
Japs.
THE Filipinos will be in there
fighting alongside the Allies when
we get back to Manila and Bataan,"
Mr.. Gunnison said. MOT a news
paperman or radio man in our
group turned Quisling for the Nips.
"The Japanese consider this to
be a 100-year war, and we must,
when the peace is won, supervise
business, cultural relations and all
other phases of life in Japan.
Beaten Across Back.
II was beaten across the back
with japanese leather belts when
the Nips thought I wasn't telling
the truth. We ate rotten fish, bad
grade rice and native spinach for
months on end in our diet. We
spent 10-and-a-half months with
out taking a bath. We were prom
ised auto rides, special favors and
recreations if we would write stories
or broadcast for the Japanese"
Mrs. Gunnison looks forward to
one Christmas present-the luxury
of a permanent wave. The color
full orchid corsage worn by Mrs
Gunnison was in direct contrast to
the setback eyes and lined face of
a woman who stood by her husband
and country throughout one of the
worst ordeals faced by any married
couple.
Mr.. Gunnison, who passed up an
opportunity to leave Manila and 60
to Corregidor with Gen. Macarthur
In order that he could be the last
man to send back newspaper dis
patches and radio broadcasts to
America. told of life in Jap prison
camps at Santo Tomas, Manila, and
Chapel. on the outskirts of Shang-
hal, China.
Permitted To Talk Weekly.
At Santo Tomas, husbands and
wives were kept in separate rooms.
Once a week they were permitted
to talk in the outdoors, from oppo-
site sides of fence built of chicken
wire. For eight-and- -one half |
months the Gunnisons lived in the
Philippine camp, where they had to
feed themselves. Then they were
transferred aboard Japanese
troopship to Shanghai, where they
were placed in what the Japs called
restricted freedom" 1t seems that
for more than a year the japanese
by-passed Shanghai, although they
maintained military and civil con-
troll there.
Mr.. Gunnison said he had infor-
nation that the japanese were CIV
ing up the use of prison camps in
the Philippines because of the
weather conditions and the bad
food. He said the japanese stand
ards OF living were so far below
those Of the Western World that
an American found it difficult to
survive on Jap rations.
Mr.. Gunnison explained that a
common aspirin tablet cost so cents
gold, and that japanese doctors in
prison camps charged 81 gold for
pill. American internees received
$l2 month from the United States
Government, he added. Mr.. Gun
nison also said the Japanese made
. mint of money" when they over
charged internees at canteens and
stores.
U. s. Strikes Cited BY Japs. 4
Regarding propaganda, Mr.. Gun
nison said that in China internees
held adult classes daily, at which
the Japanese attended. japanese
pictures showing the capture of Ma
laya and Singapore were presented
by the Japs in order to impress
both captives and the native Chi
nese. The Japanese used strikes
in America as their most potent
propaganda weapons, Mr.. Gunni-
son said. Stores and all other places
In Chinese cities were plastered with
blown-up photos of japanese mill
tary might he said.
zone thing, more than any 9TH
er. will bring all the Chinese over
to our side and keep their morale
up" the returned commentator ex-
planned. THAT is the sight of many
planes flying over China dropping
bombs on the japanese.
%The Japs made one big mistake"
he. added. when they took over
Shanghai and other cities, they i'm
mediately cut wages and stripped
the cities of means of transporta-
tion And that's why they can't
sell the Chinese bill of goods on
the so-called Greater East Asia
Sphere.
Mr.. Gunnison told a tragic tale
Of Christmas, 1912. in a Jap prison
camp. He related how one woman
cut up a sealskin coat that she
treasured in order to make bun