Evening star., 1954-12-16
Proposed Swap
For Americans
Gains Support
Key Lawmakers Leon
To PIeo for Exchange
Of Chinese Students
BY the Assoei1ied Press

Several key lawmakers said
today they favor efforts to ex.
change 35 Chinese students in
this country for 81 Americans
detained in Red China. including
II airmen imprisoned by the
Communists as spies"
Representative Martin of Mas
sachusetts, retiring speaker Of
the House, said that if the stu
dents want to go to Red China
he would welcome any negotia-
tions that might lead to their
exchange for the Americans.
But he and Senator Ferguson,
Republican, of Michigan, retir-
ing head of the Senate Repup-
lican Policy Committee, said
there must be no deal which
would force the return to his
homeland Of any Chinese who
wished to remain in this country.
The State Department indi.
Gated through Press Officer Lin
coin White yesterday that the
United States might consider
any offer forthcoming from Red
China to exchange for the
Americans Chinese students who
have applied for exit permits
but thus far have been denied
them.
Sparkman Leans to Move.
Senator Sparkman, Democrat,
of Alabama a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee, said in a separate inter-
view he wasn't familiar with all
the details but he knew of no
reason why this Government
should insist on keeping in this
country any students who wanted
to return to China.
The State Department has said
the 35 involved have not been
permitted to leave because spe-
cialized skills they acquired here
might be valuable to the Com
munists from a military stand
point.
Senator Sparkman said he did
not believe that should be al
lowed to stand in the way of any
reasonable agreement for re-
lease of the detained Americans.
THE fact that these students
may have learned some valuable
techniques does not justify hold
ing them in this country if they
wish to return to China" he
said.
Gore to Back Administration.
Senator Gore, Democrat, Of
Tennessee said that while he
doubts the adviSability of any
IDEAL" with the Chinese Com
munists, he is willing to back
any decision Eisenhower admin
istration officials make on nego-
tiationS.
Il would be willing to lean
way over backwards to obtain
the release of these Americans"
he said. There is no justifica-
ton for the imprisonment Of
our aEmen who were captured
in uniform and certainly weren't
on any spying mission.
while I doubt the advisa-
bility of any deal, I will support
the administration in whatever
move it makes in this regard"
Dag Hammarskjold, United
Nations secretary-general, is at
tempting to arrange a meeting
with Communist China's Pre-
mier, Chou En-lai, to discuss
the fate of the IL imprisoned
airmen as a follow-up to the
U. MS ATS vote condemning
the sentencing of the Ameri-
cans.
KnOwland Gloomy.
In Los Angeles Senate Repub-
lican Leader Knowland voiced
hope these efforts will be sue
cessful, but he added: II have
my doubts"
Senator Knowland told a news
conference that if the U. N.
efforts do fail, 1--WE can't sit
back and let Americans in Amer
ican uniforms stay in Communist
jailS." He renewed his sugges-
tion that this country might
blockade Red CHINA proposal
which President Eisenhower has
rejected as an act of war.
While the first State Depart
ment reaction had been adverse
to hints from the Peiping radio
that an exchange deal might be
(See AIRMEN, Page A-30