Evening star., 1949-08-28
RedTradenark
On Jap POWs
Communist Brand RubS
Of on Some After
They Get Home
by WilIiom Jorden

~ " ""ssS" SS'SS"
TOKYO. Since late in June
nearly 10000 Japanese have been
repatriated after four years Of i'm
prisonment in the Soviet Union.
New thousands are now pouring
into the repatriation port Of Mai
zuru in the years third wave"
of returns.
Most Japanese are wondering
what tactics the Communist-in-
doctrinated leaders Of the latest
groups will adopt.
The first wave late in June came
into port Justify singing Com
munist songs. On the train trip
to their homes they stopped at
important stations to participate
in rowdy Communist directed
welcoming celebrations. Many ig-
nored their waiting relatives to
march first to Communist Party
headquarters.
The second group, arriving late
in July, obviously had been di-
rected to use different methods.
One shipload refused for six days
to MI out the routine repatriation
forms. They only did 50 when in
formed they must remain aboard
ship until they did. All surrounded
themselves with q Silent curtain" !"
refusing to talk.
Ordinary Japanese are puzzled.
They say they cannot understand
why these men act in such "un-
Japanese" fashion. However, the
Japanese are inclined to Judge all
the repatriates by the actions Of
a noisy minority.
Red Front Not Solid
At first the japanese press con-
centrated on reports Of Red flag
waving. clashes with police and
Communist songfests. They said
little or nothing Of those who did
not participate but who quietly
went home.
Yet the very first repatriation
shipload gave evidence that the
seemingly unanimous Red front
was not rs solid as the Commu-
mist leaders tried to make it ap-
pear. While some very vociferous
Reds, numbers Of those inter-
viewed said they wanted to think
things over" before joining the
Communist Party. Others said
flatly they had no intention of
joining.
This first impression has been
supported recently by an increas-
ing number Of interviews with
repatriates by hometown papers
throughout Japan. While many
were quoted as saying they were
signing up with the Communists,
the majority said they were not.
Typical quotations:
Communism Is impossible for
me because Of my family bonds"
"The only way could feel sure
Of being returned home was to
say I supported communism.
Educated by Reds
They have outlined the prison
system Of political education"
Daily lessons were given in Com
munist doctrine, international
analysis, history Of communism In
Japan, and criticism Of conditions
in Japan.
Some said that If they refused
to take part in this education they
were sent to corrective camps and
branded as reactionaries. Former
prisoners say each camp was di-
rected by q commissar responsible
to the Soviet Politburo. He was
aided by a democratic committee"
of 10 to 20 prisoners, graduates Of
q special Communist school and
usually young men without fami-,
lies back in japan.
These graduates, called "Aktivs"
(Actives), command the repatri-
ates on the journey home.
Despite the non-communism
Of many repatriates. the hold the
"Aktivs'' have over them is not to
be dismissed lightly. Japanese,
particularly former soldiers and
former prisoners. have deeply in
grained habits Of obedience and
conformity. i
Family ties and traditional
lovalties serve to break the Com
m,lnist hold on others after they
have been at home q short while.
There Is, however, . real prob
lem involving repatriates. III the
minds Of many employers and oh-
cials, the brand Of communism Is
on them all. As q result, many
are reporting trouble finding jobs.
II they are not allowed to make
adjustments to life at home, there
is danger that they may revert
to the welcoming arms OF the
Reds. II
(Distributsd b. the Associated Prsss.I