The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-09-30
THE WORLD
TODAY
~ DON WHITEHEAD
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AFes seWea MefiSNI
WASHINGTON as-The return u
prisoners Of var from Korea was
. happy oeeasion that brought joy
10 thousands II homes. Most Of ~
would like 20 ignore the ether side
a The siory--the ugly side.
But u cannot be ignored-not II
there Is any real meaning 10 the
red badge II courage woEn By the
living and the dead NO stood fast
against Red propaganda and tor.
mre. Sooner or later the armed
services vii pass judgment On the
conduct Of some prisoners while
they were In The hands Of the
Communists.
Presumably. there VII be no
problem In classifying any prison.
er who chooses Of bis own free
viii 10 remain with the Commu.
nlsss. lie would be considered q
dsserter and in effect q traitor
10 his country.
Secretary Of Defense wilson has
said Individual cases yin be stud
led 10 determine u there had been
ian unreasonable failure 10 meas
uFe up 10 the standard of Individual
eonduet which Is expected even Of
. prisoner Of var. or deviations
from standards Of behavior pre-
seEibed BY Law (the code Of mill.
tary Justice"
These eases fall Into three Gen
eral eategories:
2. Those prisoners who eollab0r.
sted with the Reds and "ratted"
On their comrades In order 10 gain
favors for themselves even though
4 meant greater misery for others.
2. Those prisoners who. under
pressure Of threats and torture.
signed false confessions and made
propaganda breakfasts for the
Reds which Wilson termed "eon.
trary TO the interests Of their
country"
.. Those prisoners who. the Reds
say. have refused repatriation and
have chosen 10 remain with the
Communists. Only q out Of more
than 1900 Americans are listed In
this class. and their shocked pa
rents refuse 10 believe they are
acting voluRSrlly.
Indications have been the null
tAry win be sympathetic toward
the former prisoners. taking into
account their suffering at the
hands Of the Reds.
Bus where IL the line 10 be
drawn In an unreasonable fail
ure'' 10 measure up 10 the stand
ard Of conduct expected Of null
tary menf There IL the rub.
The easy and perhaps the popu.
lar way out would be 10 forget
the whole thing. But such . course
would set . dangerous precedent
for the future.
Gen. william Dean says he told
his eaptors they could 30 ahead
and carry out their threats 20 cut
out his tongue II they wished
but he wouldn't be Q propaganda |
agent for them. He said he refused
10 be considered q traitor 10 his
country. Other prisoners told Of de-
Tying the Communists even 10 the
point Of risking death. and such
defiance did mean death for some.
Other prisoners say they sue
eumbed % Red demands only after
hours Of mental and physical tor.
ture when 4 seemed tbs Only
course 10 save themselves and
others from death.
There Il tremendous sympathy
for the prisoners and what they
endured. Most Of as wonder An !
our hearts how we would react In |
. similar situation. We wonder
whether we would be q Dean or
someone with an easier breaking
point. No man can say with Ger.
tainiy until he has been put 10
such q test.
But neither can q man forecast
how he win conduct himself In
combat until he has experienced Il. |
And yet the armed forces have
stern rules Of conduct governing
combat men. The rules must be
stern because the very life Of the
fighting units and of the nation
may depend on observance Of
these rules. They cannot be taken
lightly.
The trouble here Is that the enc.
my fights BY no rules Of humane
warfare and recognizes no agree.
ment on treatment Of prisoners.
And 80 the military must apply
It's old rules Of conduct 10 q ter.
rible new situation.
toises" Of Dry Torsugas we're &C.
tually marine turtles that came
ashore 10 lay their eggs. These
should not be confused with the