Evening star., 1944-02-12
ii. ). Protest Leaves
Door Open 10 Japs'
Ito Alter Prison Code

In spite of japanese refusal to
answer strong protests against tor
ture inflicted on American and
Filipino prisoners, the United States
Government today retained a shred
Of hope that Japan would mend its
ways and adopt a civilized code for
treatment Of enemy aliens in its
hands.
Undersecretary of State Stetti-
MUS said the American people would
be told If the japanese treated their
prisoners humanely. He made this
statement as he released yesterday
the texts of two kilograms sent to
Toxic via Switzerland on January
q after publication of the Army
Navy report on atrocities COM
mitted by the japanese on prisoners
in the Philippines.
The American Government in the
kilograms, to which no answer has
been received, charged 18 specific
violations of international law. The
protest. strongly and factually
worded, placed the responsibility
on the Japanese govern
ment and blocked the possibility of
a Toxic effort to shift the blame to
officials in the field.
Cites Geneva Convention.
"The Government of the United
States demands that the japanese
government Immediately take note
Of the charges and take immediate
steps to raise the treatment accorded
nationals held by Japan
to the standard provided by the
Geneva Prisoners of War Conven-
ton, which the United States and
the japanese governments have
undertaken to apply the
protest said.
Two other developments in the
Japanese atrocity case were:
Senator Chavez, Democrat. of
New Mexico told the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee that the
State Department should request
Russia to cooperate in furnishing
food and medicine to American
prisoners under Japanese control.
The Federated Organizations for
Bataan Relief. composed of relatives
If the men who fought to the end
n the Philippines, only to undergo
.orture at the hends of their cap
;ors, urged the Senate committee
hat laid somehow be gotten to the
'oys' in the japanese prison camps.
Charges Civilians Mistreated.
American civilians interned In
Japanese territory as we'll as war
prisoners in the Philippines have
. n subjected to mistreatment. the
o.ate Department kilograms said
They pointed out that the Swiss gov
ernment has been denied its treaty
light to send observers to camps in
he Philippines, French Indo-China.
Manchuria, Burma. Ma
ava, the Netherlands East Indies
and Formosa.
The 18 violations of the Geneva
Convention and of "the common law
'f decency' cited by the State De-
Barring Red Cross and Swiss rep
'esentatives from prison camps,
prisoners for complaining
II conditions, failure to provide
.ood, clothing. shelter and medi-
,ine. confiscation of property-one
Japanese soldier covered one arm
o the elbow and part of his other
lrm with wrist watches stolen from
Americans-subjecting the men to
insults and public curiosity to de-
grade them. brutal beatings and
actual murder. withholding Of in
ormation on prisoners, refusal to
permit the men to exercise their
'eligion, imposing 'cruel and in
human" punishment without trial.
One Japanese offlcer was named
"A Maj. Midas responsible for
conditions in the Davao Penal COL
my. Secretary Of State Hull has
promised that all those responsible
Will be tracked down and punished.
Specific Cases Listed.
These specific cases were cited:
1t. Coils. Lloyd Biggs and How
lrd Breitung and 1t. T. r. D. Gill
vert tried to escape in September,
942. They were severely beaten,
led to posts, stripped and kept tied
or two days. Passing Filipinos
we're forced to beat them in the
ace with clubs. After two DAYS of
orture they were taken away and
,illed, one by decapitation.
A Sergt. McFee was shot and
Tiled by a Japanese guard after
atching a canteen of water thrown
o him by another prisoner on the
,pposit side of the fence.
Mr.. r. Gray, a civilian internee
It Baguio, died March IS, 1912, aftef
'eing beaten and given the water
'ure. At Santo Tomas, a Mr.. Kroe-
tadt died in a military prison after
punishment for an at
empted escape.
Heavy Death Toll Cited.
In one Philippines prison camp
conditions were so bad that "2,2OO
Americans and more than $4,000
7ilipinos are reported to have died
n the first few months of their de-
ention,' the State Department said.
In their Senate Military Affairs
Committee appearance, the Fed
Grated Organizations for Bataan
Relief urged that the heroes of
8ataan be promoted and given au-
omatic insurance.
The committee heard the group
1T the request Of Senator Chavez.
Many OF the Philippine garrison
we're from New Mexico. Testifying
we're DR.. V. H. Spensley, Albuquer-
lue, president of the group: Mrs.
Elizabeth Parsons, Pontiac, Mich;
Mrs. Cuyler Bigger, Atlanta; Mrs.
George w. Hirsch, Columbia, S. c.,
and A. c. Macarthur, haywood, Ill.
Allied Troops Hold Firm