Evening star., 1945-03-25

oner of 10ar section of the Anne
compiled at this chapter on the many
possibilities suggested by missing in ac-
tion," said Miss Marjorie Collins, prison.
er of war consultant of the home service,
District chapter, in the basement Of the
Corcoran Art Gallery. .-....
TOO often people make the mistake
of confusing the American Red Cross.
and its manifold services to the soldier
and his family, with the International
Red Cross in Geneva, which is the or
ganization that receives the names of
prisoners of war from Germany and
Japan and routes on to the Allied gov
ernments," she was eager to explain.
Those Accounted for
The summary on missing in action
men this chapter gives to distraught
families includes information received
from those already in prisoner of war
camps; conservative estimates from the
War Department stating that so per
cent of the men missing in action and
IS per cent in the Air Forces, will turn
up as prisoners Of war, and an expla-
nation of the elaborate German system
of sorting Allied captives into various
camps which takes long time.
Mrs. John Glascock Baldwin, an en-
thusiastic volunteer worker whose own
son, 1t. Donald Aspenwald Allan, 21, of
the United States 18th Air Force, is
prisoner of war in Germany, said that
over 1000 people In the District have
made inquiries about prisoners of war
and civilian internees in Japan and
Germany.
People come in here dazed and
stunned and don't even know if they can
write to or receive letters from prison.
ers," she observed.
1--WE even have had instances of per-
sons calling up to find out how to write
to a man missing in action. Some In
dividuals are quite upset when they hear
their sons and husbands are prisoners
of war And so, we put their names on
the list of families who receive Prisoner
of War Bulletins When they read
these monthly bulletins explaining why
mail takes so long, articles on camp
movements, letters from prisoners tell
ing of their activities and studies, and
stories about Red Cross food parcels at
the various camps, they feel considerably
reassured. We explain next-of-kin par
eel and mail regulations and inform
them that they are entitled to send one
cablegram to the prisoner year. The
latter is routed through the local. chap
ter but at the expense Of the War
Department"
Letters to Prisoners
Miss Collins explained that letter
to or from the Far East had previously
taken a year or year and half to
reach its destination.
"But am very happy to report that
mail communications with prisoners Of
war under Japanese jurisdiction Is now
taking six months less time. incidental
", quite number Of people received
mail at Christmas time from relatives
held by that enemy.
"The Japanese, with the help Of Swiss
International Red Cross workers, picked
up 1000 tons Of Red Cross food and
medical supplies at Vladivostok. Russian
port In Siberia, last November and De-
cember, and distributed them to Amer
ican and Allied prisoners Of war and
civilian internees In Korea. Manchuria.
Japan, North China and other areas.
Each prisoner received 50 pounds Of
food from those shipments. Now ar
rangements are being made for deliveries
Of this kind at regular intervals" she
smilinsly disclosed.
Miss Collins also said that mail TO the
Far East Is down from the United States.