Evening star., 1951-12-19
The Red Prisoner List

The outlook for a near future armistice in
Korea has been frightened bit by the fact that
the Communists at Panmunjom have yielded to
the demand Of the United Nations for list of
American and allied prisoners of war; But the
list itself, although 1t apparently confirms that
Major General Dean is alive, Is anything but
cheering. This is so because the number of
names on 1t Is far, far short of the U. Ms own
total Of missing.
Thus, according to previously announced
estimates, the United Nations has placed upwards
OF 100000 OF its fighting men in the missing in
action category. Well over 10000 of these have
been listed as South Koreans, with the balance
apart from about 900 Britons and lesser num-
bers Of other nationalties-being made up of
approximately 10000 Americans But the Com
munists al Panmunjom have come forward with
figures claiming that they hold total of only
1859 prisoners-or little more than tenth of
the u. N. personnel that vanished in the course
Of battle.
This Communist nsting-the bulk of which
is made up of 7,A2 South Korean names
accounts for mere 319S of the $4,000 Americans
reported missing. A reliable source in Tokyo
presumably somebody in General Ridgways
headquarters-has been quoted as saying that
there probably is mo great disparity" between
these figures What the reliable source" means,
apparently, is that in all likelihood, of the 5000
or 5000 of our troops unaccounted for-the
troops whose names are not on the Red list of
prisoners great many actually have died in
battle or Succumbed to wounds or sickness
through no deliberate fault of the enemy But
this explanation, although it may be reasonable
up to point, Is certainly far from satisfactory.
1t is true enough that the experience of past
wars has shown that missing in-action figures
usually are made up in large measure of the
names Of men who have been killed in battle
men whose fate cannot be determined immedi-
atey and who therefore are listed in that doubt
ful category that includes the dead well as the
living until confirmation, one way or the other,
is received. But In this instance in Korea
where the Communists have never permitted the
International Red Cross to check on prisoners
there have been official charges at the highest
levels that between 5000 and 5000 Americans
(not to mention the South Koreans) have been
slaughtered in deliberate atrocities after having
been captured. 4@-71s
Although these charges have been made in
confusing and sometimes self contradictory
manner, and although they are thus still open
to measure Of doubt, the disparity between the
Communist and u N. accounting lends strong
support to them In the circumstances our
American and allied negotiators at Panmunjom
have every reason to pursue the question with
the greatest vigor and militancy. Regardless of
armistice prospects, If a crime against humanity
has been committed here, those guilty Of 1t must
be branded accordingly before the eyes of the
world. This Is an issue not to be lodged or side
stepped or CLOSED over. 1t needs to be dealt with
firmly and forthrightly
OF course, because they are responsible for
having unleashed aggression southwark across
the 38th Parallel the Communists have been
guilty of crime against humanity ever since the
start of the war in Korea The Nervousness of
that crime, however, will be even more heinous
If they cannot absolve themselves Of the atrocity
charges. The u. N. should certainly demand that
they prove their innocence If they can That
much, at least, is owing to the missing still un-
accounted for.