Evening star., 1953-05-19
The Political Mill
Reds Plan New Appeal
For u. N. Membership
U. S. Can't Afford to Give in
On Prisoner-of-Wur Issue
he Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
The Chinese Reds insistence on their
present program for the disposition Of
prisoners of war is only forerunner to
an ultimate demand for admission of
Red China to the United Nations. Judg-
ing from the recent address delivered
by Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
the Communists have had their impact
on British thinking-in the matter Of
the exchange of prisoners in Korea.
Sir Winston indicated he believed there
was no longer involved any difference
in principle, as between the United
States position and that of the Com
munists. In official Washington this
is emphatically denied.
The United States and it's U. N.
allies have taken approximately $4,000
prisoners in Korea, of whom $4,000
have declared their willingness to re-
turn to North Korea or Communist
China. The other $4,000 prisoners have
stated their violent opposition to re-
patriation. They fear that If they do
return to North Korea or Communist
China they will be killed and perhaps
tortured. The United States is strongly
opposed to having these prisoners CO.
creed and forced to return to those
countries. It's contention is that We in
duced many of these prisoners to
surrender by scattering leaflets over
the battle lines which promised them
security Of life if they would desert.
Senator Douglas. Illinois Democrat, has
explained this in detail to the Senate.
To yield now and permit the forcible
return OF these prisoners would be to
break faith with them in the first
place. and to make impossible future
desertlonS from behind the Iron Cur
tain. Humanitarian considerations die
tate the same decision against forcible
repatriation.
Subtle Proposals.
The program now advanced by the
Chinese Reds contains its Subtleties. 1t
calls for ommiSSion-called neutral
to exercise supervision over repatria-
tion of prisoners. Members of the pro-
posed commission are Poland and
Czechoslovakia, satellites of Communist
Russia, and Switzerland, Sweden and
India. Switzerland has never joined
the United Nations, and Sweden, which
would be in great danger of attack by
Russia should a third world war be
launched, has not Joined the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. India
has proclaimed it's neutrality. The
program also provides that each of the
five nations furnish an equal number
OF armed forces as guards, to have
custody of the prisoners in Korea, dur
ing four-month period in which re-
patriation would be considered. Po-
land and CzechoSlovakia would be
privileged. under this arrangement, to
send armed forces into the territory of
the United Nations.
No provision is made for the separa-
tion of the prisoners who do not wish
to go home from those who wish to
return. If they are herded together,
anything could happen. It is further
provided that Red China and North
Korea may send men to the prisoner
camps to work on the prisoners to
return home.
Four months would be allowed for
the Communists to deal with the pris-
onerS. Their disposition would then be
referred to a political conference for
settlement. For those prisoners who
mean indefinite imprisonment. The
United States is standing for the i'm
mediate release of North Korean pris-
oners. to be absorbed into South
Korea. This would dispose of $4,000,
leaving $4,000 Chinese prisoners who
do not wish to be returned to Red
China. Also the United States is
opposing the sending of armed forces
from Poland and Czechoslovakia to
the prisoner camps.
Seek Impressive Victory.
If the Communists have their way
with the war prisoners, they will have
won a victory, which will impress all
Asia. The U. N. will have suffered a
defeat. In some quarters it is sug-
gested, however, that the Communists
may yet yield on the disposition of the
prisoners, provided they can get some
assurance of concessions in the future.
The main concession for which they
hope is admission of Red China to the
United Nations. On that point, the
Communists rely on Britain for sup
port, and on other U. N. countries that
are anxious to bring the Korean con-
flict to close. With the fighting over
in Korea. the Communists believe that
the pressure which could be exerted
on the United States by Britain and
other allies would be great. and that in
the end this country would go along
with recognition of Red China and her
in the U. N.
In the opinion of some of the high
officials here. the admission of Red
China to the U. N. would bring all Asia
eventually under Communist control.
1t would leave Korea in position to be
gobbled up when Red China cared to
move. 1t would open the way, too. for
a Communist move against Japan.