Evening star., 1953-09-25
By the Associated Pres,

The Defense Department says
It will investigate the Cir
cumStanceS under which some
former American war prisoners
in Korea repeatedly made false
confessions or turned informer
to curry favor with Red captorS.
The department, Secretary
Wilson announced last night,
lis using every effort to investi-
gate and establish what hap
pened to these men while they
were prisoners. y"
Commenting that only a few
American prisoners we're sWayed
by Communist pressure and
abuse while the vast majority
resisted, Secretary Wilson said:
"We do not as a general prin-
ciple condone those who made
false confessions contrary to the
interests of their country, or
whose actions caused their fell
low prisoners added misery.
Such cases will be carefully and
Sympathetical1y examined by the
services concerned to ascertain
whether in any of them there
has been an unreasonable fail
ure to measure up to the stand
ard of Individual conduct which
is expected even of a prisoner
of war or deviationS from stand
ards of behavior prescribed by
law"
Except to say the inquiries
would be made on an individual
basis. would be just and fair
and "in line with established
facts and evidence and the rules.
regulations and laws" relating
to military conduct, Mr.. Wilson
did not specify how the inveSti-
cation win be handled.
His statement left open the
question of whether former pris-
oners, released from service after
their return to the United States.
might be invited to answer ques-
tions of the military.
A Pentagon spokesman said
the Army has taken an interest
in the cases of several returned
American POWs who have told
newSmen that under pressure
and torture they were forced to
dream up" stories about alleged
germ warfare methods used by
the United States in Korea.
Marine Col Frank H. Schwa-
BILE of Alexandria, Va, and
others have told of such expert
enceS.
Will Be on Own.
The Defense Department has
issued an "acroSS-the- board" Or
der to all returning POWS that
they would be on their own with
reference to public statements.
However, a Pentagon Spokes-
man said a special injunction
was issued by the Marine Corps
barring Col. Schwable from talk
ing to the press.
When the order became known
the Armed Forces Policy Council
was meeting and Gen. Lemuel
c. Shepherd, jr., Marine Corps
commandant was sent.
Shortly after the meeting broke
up Gen. Shepherd returned to
his Office and released Col.
Schwable from the ban.
Mr.. Wilson, who presided over
the policy council, is assumed to
have given Gen. Shepherd or
ders to reScind his previous Or
derS against talking. Later the
colonel told of "confeSSing" to
taking part in germ warfare
after endless" questioning and
detention in freezing quarters.
Code Sets Up Standards.
The standards for conduct of
prisoners are set forth in the 1851
Code of Military Justice, which
also defines procedures for in
vestigating and trying by court
martial former as well as present
members of the armed forces.
The services, however, have be-
come wary of attempting to in
woke this feature of the code
since the Air Force suffered a
reversal in an effort to use it.
Earlier this year the Air Force
took into custody and trans
ported to Japan a former airman
wanted in connection with a