Evening star., 1953-03-29
U.S Officials Hone
Trade Of Sick P0Ws
Can Lead 10 Peace
BY the Associated Press

armiStice might at last be pos
Sible arose last night.
Acceptance by the Chinese and
North Korean Reds of an Allied
proposal to exchange sick and
wounded prisoners of war was
viewed here with some degree of
optimism. But officials kept their
fingers crossed.
The acceptance sent high State
Department and Defense officials
into a series of unusual Satur-
day conferences.
Noted particularly was the
Communist leaders statement
that all the world is longing for
an armistice.
Dulles Is Hopeful.
Officials said the Communists
now may be talking action rather
that propaganda. and that Sow
let Premier Georgi Malenkov's
new Kremlin command may be
preparing to take some positive
steps for peace. But no one knew
for sure, and officials there was
no comment except on the pris-
oner exchange development.
On this, Secretary Of State
Dulles said "the United States
Government hopes that this ex-
change Of prisoners will occur
promptly"
At the same time-but only
by coincidence, officials said
Mr.. Dulles Joined with French
Premier Rene Mayer in warning
that any move to use Korean
truce as a "breather" for Red
aggression elsewhere in the Far
East would have most serious
consequences" on efforts at world
peace.
Red Concession Possible.
The State Department previ-
ouSly had issued a statement
saying that "the Communist
message is an unconditional &C
ceptance of the proposal made
by Gen. Mark Clark on Febru-
ary % for the exchange of sick
and wounded prisoners of war,
who are fit to travel in accord
ance with Article 109 of the
Geneva Convention"
THAT article" the department
added. provides that sick and
wounded prisoners of war who
are f1t to travel shall be per-
mitted to do so on a voluntary
basis"
Press Officer Lincoln White,
making this statement to re-
porters, heavily underlined the
word voluntary" Though he
would not discuss even possible
resumption of armistice talks,
his emphasis indicated the pri-
vate speculation of officials here
that the Reds may be willing
after many months of haggling
and stalemate to make conces-
sions on the issue of voluntary
repatriation of all POW-not
merely those who are sick and
wounded.
Heretofore, the Reds have in
sisted that in any armistice
agreement all POWs on both
sides must be returned. The
United Nations has taken the
position that refugees from
communism will not be COM
PEELED to go home. This has been
the major barrier to agreement
on an armistice.
Kremlin Action Seen.
The Communist reply to Gen.
Clark's proposal made two points.
and officials here, reading them
in the light of recent peace"
talk by Premier Georgi Malen-
kov's new Russian government,
could not help wondering
whether the Kremlin leadership
was at last beginning to back up
hopeful generalities with specific
actions.
At the same time. they said
they still wanted to see how
speedily the Reds would go
through with the proposed pris-
onerN exchange and what steps
they would take toward con-
Quoting armistice negotiations
on terms acceptable to a ma
jority of the United Nations.
The State Department de-
clared that the exchange of sick
and wounded prisoners is mat
ter entirely separate from the
resumption of the the armstice
negotiations and said it was too
early' to comment upon reSump-
ton at this time.
Presumably officials were try
ing to determine whether and
to what extent the reds might be
acting in good faith in suggesting
a return to the conference table.
Some defense officials noted that
the Reds have used similar man.
euvers before when they found
themselves in a tough spot mil
itarily-as when the armistice
talks first started.
Capitol Hill SkepticaI.
Skepticism was even more pro-
nounced on Capitol Hill, al
though Senator Taft of Ohio, the
Republican leader, said the Red
offer was good sign"
Representative Short, Repub-
lican of Missouri, chairman of
the House Armed Services Com
mittee, said I'VE don't want to
bank too many hopes" on the
offer, adding that this is "the
old war of nerves"
Representative Vorys, Repub-
lican. of Ohio, a ranking member
of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, said the United
States should insist on a separa-
ton of the POW repatriation
issue and any resumption of
armistice talks.