Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-11
Reds Impatient
For Fu||-Sca|e
Truce Talks
Pact on Sick POWs
Signed, Trade May
Begin by Wednesday
BY the Associated Press

MUNSAN, April 1.-THE Al
lies and Communists today
signed an historic agreement for
the first formal exchange of dis
abled captiveS of the Korean
war and the Reds pressed i'm
patiently for a quick renewal of
the full-scale armistice negotia-
lions.
The Communists agreed to
return 600 sick and wounded
prisoners including 100 Ameri-
cans and the Allies pledged to
give up $500 North Koreans and
Chinese.
The first of these may begin
the journey home as early as
next Wednesday.
The agreement may have
paved the way for armistice in
| Korea. The truce talks have
been deadlocked for a year and
suspended since October 8 over
the last big issue of exchanging
war prisoners. The Reds had
insisted on the return of all
their captured soldiers. The Al
lies refused to return any one
to Communist rule against his
will.
Red Position Unchanged.
The Reds have indicated they
will not change their opposition
to purely voluntary repatriation
OF prisoners. Also they brushed
aside appeals for exchange of
more than the 600 sick allied
POWs.
North Korean Maj. Gen. Lee
Sang Che told the allied liaison
team:
Our side considers that the
plenary session of the delega-
tons of both sides should be
resumed Immediately to discuss
and settle the entire question of
prisoners of war so as to realize
an armistice in Korea"
United States Rear Admiral
John c. Daniel said the United
Nations command in Tokyo
would give an answer.
Gen. Mark Clark, U. N. Far
East commander. already has
said the truce talks can be re-
Sumed after settlement of the
disabled prisoner exchange.
POW Exchange Put Ahead.
But. the exchange of sick and
wounded captives. some of them
undoubtedly prisoners since the
first days of the Korean war
nearly three years ago, was the
big job for the moment.
American engineers raced a
deadline to complete roads and
camps within the receiving zone
at Panmunjom before Tuesday.
Doctors, nurses and corpSmen
waited eagerly 10 miles away at
Munsan's freedom gate for the
influx of disabled allies. Scores
of helicopters and ambulances
were readied for the job of
transporting them.
Most of the allied sick and
wounded will be rushed to their
homes by plane Immediately
after they cross the line if they
are able to travel. The others
will be taken to hospitals in
Japan. The Americans among
the latter will go to Tokyo and
Yokohoma.
The exchange must be COM
pleted within 20 days after it
starts. 1t must begin not later
than April 81 and can start
earlier.
Besides the 100 Americans.
there are 20 British, Is Cana
dams, Turks. Greeks and Dutch
and about $50 South Koreans in
the group the Communists will
release.
Allies Hold More POWs.
The allies will give up 5,1OO
North Koreans and 700 Chinese
at the rate of 500 daily. The
Communist rate will be 100 men
daily.
The U. N. command is ex-
changing almost 10 prisoners for
each one returned by the Com
munists principally because the
Allies hold many times more
prisoners. In addition, many
Chinese and North Korean
POWs are suffering from tuber-
culosis and are qualified for ex-
change as sick and wounded.
The Communists have said
they hold approximately $4,000
(See TRUCE. Page A-3.)