Evening star., 1953-12-03
Allied Persuaders
Fail Again 10 Win
Any BaIky P0Ws
BY the Associoted Press


PANMUNJOM, Dec. "a sec
ond group of 80 South Koreans
today unanimously chose life
under the Communists. giving
allied persuaders a total blank
for two days of efforts.
There was no violence, but
many prisoners were more talk
ative~ than the 80 who yesterday
listened passively to ROK ex-
planners, then chose COM
muniSm.
Tne United Nations Command
said 80 more South Koreans of
328 who refused repatriation will
be interviewed tomorrow.
There was no indication when
the % Americans and one Briton
will be called.
Break is Predicted.
Allied officers expressed the
opinion that Communist leaders
in the POW compound probably
had sent their most thoroughly
indoctrinated fellow prisoners to
the first interviews.
There will be break in this"
an American officer predicted.
Negotiators working on plans
for a Korean peace conference,
meanwhile. met for 312 hours
and apparently made no progress.
United States Envoy Arthur
H. Dean warned the Reds that
their insistence on seating Rus
sia as a neutral might stall the
conference Indefinitely and per-
haps forever"
The Communists rejected Mr..
Deans plan for setting UP
peace conference. but did not
mention specifically his proposal
that Russia attend as a third
party with full voting rights
rather than as a Communist
belligerent or a neutral.
Interviews Go Smoothly.
Some South Korean prisoners
interviewed today marched into
the explanation tents singing
Communist songs and chanting
slogans.
But the interviews went so
smoothly that a young Polish
major serving as a repatriation
commission observer began nod
ding and finally went to sleep.
He aWoke with start when the
session ended.
There was one dramatic scene
when a young prisoner walked
into the tent and recognized a
ROK eXplainer as friend from
a South Korean Army unit.
Both fought in the I'd Bat
talon of the United States 5th
Regimental Combat Team, then
with the Oath Division.
The ROK major and the pris-
oner talked together for two
hours, much of the time dis
cussing the prisoners family in
South Korea.
Blames Refusal on Rhee.
Finally the POW said he had
nothing against the major, per-
sonally, but that he could mot
return to South Korea as long
as President Syngman Rhee re-
mains in power"
The two shook hands and the
prisoner walked out the door
designated for those who choose
to remain with the Communists.
One interviewed captive
walked out the other door, ap-
parently choosing to go home.
But after walking 200 yards
with South Korean guards he
appeared to discover his error
and darted back to the explana-
tion tent.
ROK intelligence officers said
he apparently walked out the
repatriation door in a staged
attempt to embarrasS allied
persuaders.
Prisoners Listen Quietly.
For the most part the pris-
oners listened quietly to prom
iseS of promotions. back pay,
reunions with families and par
dons for crimes committed in
North Korea. But many OF the
prisoners tried to wind up the
interview with political speeches
which Indian tent chairmen cut
off quickly.
Other prisoners asked ques-
ton after question or took
voluminous notes as the ROK
officers talked.
One POW objected to the re-
corded voices of his family.
Il want to talk to the ex-
palmer" he shouted. Il don't
want Tn hear recordings