Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-23

ferred the charges and ofiicialiy
informed the young soldier from
Crackers Neck. Va. who now is
at Walter Reed Hospital.
Corpl. Dickinson was placed
under arrest and transferred to
q prison ward Of the hospital.
Meanwhile. from Tokyo. the
Far East Command said 1t had
no knowledge of whether court
martial charges will be filed
against Corpl. Claude ]. Batch
elor. Both men were among the
original % Americans who re-
fused repatriation. Later the two
returned to the American side.
Bachelor still is in Tokyo Army
Hospital. Any decision on a
court martial for him. 1t was
said. would have to be made in
Washington.
Some Ofiicials Surprised.
The decision on corpl. Dicken:
son caught some Defense De-
partment officials unprepared
last night. Soon after the an
nouncement of his arrest. q PEN
tagon spokesman said the court
martial action was taken against
the expressed views Of Defense
Secretary Wilson.
MDW oficials. however. said
the step wAs taken only alter Mr..
wilson's specific approval.
Col. Norman e. Sprowl. public
information officer Of MDW. said
the charges were preferred here
because Corpl. Dickinson is in
Walter Reed for a medical
checkup.
Corpl. Dickinson has been
charged with violation Of Article
104 of the Uniform Code of Mill
tary Justice for having without
proper authority communicated
with and held intercourse with
the enemy directly and in
Directly
He also is charged with viola
tons of Article los of the same
code. having, for the purpose of
securing favorable treatment by
his captors. acted without proper
authority in a manner contrary
to law. custom and regulation. TO
the detriment' OF other persons
held by the enemy as prisoners.
1O4 Carries Death Penalty.
A Pentagon spokesman said a
person found guilty under Arti-
Gle 104 can be given the death
penalty or other such punish
ment as a court-martial or mill
tary commission may direct.
The punishment for conviction
under Article los can be pun
ished as a court martial may
direct. except that II does not
include the death penalty.
Earlier in the Jay, the De-
Tense Secretary, at his press con-
ference, had been asked whether
any action was contemplated
against either Corpls. Dickinson
or Bachelor. Mr.. Wilson re-
piled that the department would
wait and review these cases on
their merits.
The Defense Department
spokesman last night contended
court-martial proceedings against
Corpl. Dickinson complicated
possible psychological approaches
to the q Americans still hold
ing out against return to the
United States. These 81. aban-
doned now by the Indian guards
and rejected so far by the Reds.
are still in the old POW camps
at Panmunjon, in Korea. where
they say they intend to remain
until their food gives out.
Experts COnfOunded.
The Defense spokesman added
further, that the psychological
warfare experts dealing with
the problem of the 81 recalci-
trant POWs were caught fiat
footed" by the news Of Corpl
Dickenson's arrest.
The MpW stressed that no
decision will be made by its
commanding general to refer
the Dickinson case to trial until
a formal pre-trial investigation
has been conducted in accord
ance with statute. and not un-
til the results Of that investiga-
ton have been fully reviewed
for legal suf1iciency. Such pre-
trial investigation will be con-
Quoted at the earliest date pos
sible, MDW said.
Whatever trial proceedings
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