Evening star., 1954-09-29
China Editor Powell
Denies He Was Tool
OF Reds in Korea
~ the Assoeioted Press

John w. Powell called a news
conference late yesterday to deny
charges that he was a puppet
editor for the Chinese Commu-
nists during the Korean War.
when he put out the China
Monthly Review.
He told a gathering of re-
porters that he did not follow
the Communist Party line and
that I'VE wrote what we saw"
without direction or censorship
from the Reds.
Four decorated American Off
GERS have bitterly accused the
35-year -old Powell of printing
Communist "lies" for circulation
among United States prisoners
of war in Korea.
They told the Senate Internal
Security subcommittee yesterday
that Mr.. Powell's magazine was
enforced reading for American
POWs in brutally run 'indoctri-
nation" courses.
Asked whether he believed the
United States conducted germ
warfare in Korea. Mr.. Powell said
he was doubtful that this country
would adopt such a policy but
he thought something of the
kind must have happened.
Germ Warfare Evidence"
He said he looked at Chinese
Communist evidence" of germ
warfare, and that while he did
not have the technical training
to appraise it fully, it was i'm
pressive.
IF it was a hoax, they sure had
a lot of people involved" ne said.
Mr.. Powell, son of the late J. B.
Powell, Shanghai editor i'm
prisoned by the Japanese in
World War II, is now free-lance
writer living with his wife in San
Francisco.
Before the Internal Security
subcommittee Monday he refused
to state whether he was a men,
bed of the Communist Party. He
told reporters yesterday he con-
Sidered the question an invasion
of his privacy and that he did
not feel the subcommittee OF any
other official body had a right to
ask him if he was a Communist
or a Republican or a Democrat.
Denies He Is Red.
He then denied he was a
Communist, but added he would
not make the statement under
oath.
The officers who testified be-
fore the subcommittee were Ma
rine Corps. 1t. Col. John N.
Mclaughlin of Savannah. Ca;
Army Capt. Joseph O'Conner,
Spring City, Pa; Army Capt.
Joseph Manto, Astoria, Long Is
land, and Air Force Capt. Wald-
ron Berry, Seymour, Ind
Col. Mclaughlin. a POW for
33 months. said indoctrination
courses had as their chief Pc
riodical literature the China Re-
view and numerous openly Com
munist publications.
Couldn't Believe 1t.
He testified POWs were told
an American was the editor, but
that they couldn't believe he was
actually editing the magazine
II still don't believe any Amer
lean worthy of the name could
do such a thing" Col. McLaugh-
lin said.
Capt. O'Conner, POW "a
months, related how prisoners
were placed in squads and made
to read and discuss propaganda
literature under threat of death
or mistreatment. The literature
always included articles in Mr..
Powell's publication, he testi-
fed.
Chairman Jenner said Mr..
Powell was meeting reporters at
a news conference later in the
day.
why don't you go down and
attend his news conference?"
the Senator inquired.
Capt. O'Conner, his voice
shaking, said he could not trust
his emotions because Il might
take him in my own hands if I
went to his press conference"
Capt. Manto, imprisoned 33
months, charged Mr.. Powell's
magazine was directly ''responsi-
BILE" for the death of one Ameri-
can officer, who dared to tell his
Communist captors that an
article in it was mot worth the
paper it was written on"
Capt. Manto testified the Off
Ger was taken away for three
weeks and returned a broken
LOST.