Evening star., 1955-02-28
Chou Is WiIIinq
To Talk Over
.11FIyers' Fate
Burma Leader Tells
Dulles Reds Would
Meet U. S. Mission
By the1Assoeioted Press

RANGOON, Burma, Feb. 28.-
Burmese Premier U Nu an
nounced today that Communist
Chinese Premier Chou En-lai is
willing to receive an unofficial
United States mission to discuss
the case of imprisoned American
airmen and tensions between the
United States and Peiping.
Premier U Nu told newsmen
he had conveyed Premier Chous
approval of such conference
to United States Secretary Of
State Dulles. He declined to
discuss Mr.. Dulles reaction.
Mr.. Dulles stopped of in RAN
COON Saturday for a 36-hour
visit after attending the Manila
Pact conference in Bangkok. He
left yesterday for Laos and was
due in Saigon later today, en-
rOute 10 MdIllla.
The idea for the conference
between Premier Chou and an
unofficial United States group
apparently was advanced by the
Burmese Premier, who has pro-
posed recently that the five
neutral" Colombo powers serve
as mediators between the Chi
nese Reds and the Western pow
ers.
Premier U Nu declined to say
more about the proposal today.
explaining: II do not think I
should discuss this"
"a State Department spokes-
man said no report had been
received from Secretary Dulles
party concerning the proposals.
Some officials said privately
that the reported offer from
Premier Chou is viewed coolly.)
Sentenced on Spy Charges.
Following Peiping's announce
ment that the 13 Americans, in
cluding II flyers, had been sem
fenced to jail terms on spy
charges, the United Nations Gen.
eral Assembly, al United States
request. directed Secretary Gen.
eral Dag Hanlmarskjold to try
to get them released.
Mr.. Hammarskjold few to
Peiping just after Christmas. re-
turning with a report on the
condition of the prisoners and
of four other American airmen
held by the Reds. Subsequently
he transmitted an offer from
Premier Chou for the mems
families to visit them in China,
but the State Department de-
clined to let the relatives make
the trip.
Since then Mr.. Hammarskjold
has been working on the case
through diplomatic channels. A
report from U. N. headquarters
last week end said the secretary
general was of the opinion that
the time had not come to aban-
don his efforts on the prisoners
behalf.
Silver Spring Man Included.
The prisoners include II sur
vivors of a B-29 bomber shot
down in North Korea January
IL, 1858, some six months before
the fighting ended. These are
the pilot of the plane, Col. John
K. Arnold of Silver Spring, Md:
Maj. William H. Banner Of
Lewisburg, Pa; Capt. Elmer F..
Llewelyn of Missoula, Mont;
Capt. Eugene Vaadi of Clayton,
N. Y; 1st 1t. John w. Buck Of
Armatheaite, Tenn; lst 1t.
Wallace Brown of Banks, Ala:
T/Sergt. Howard Brown of st.
Paul, Mimi; Airman Steve e.
Kiba Of Akron, Ohio; Airman
Harry M. Benjamin, jr., Of
Worthington, Mimi; Airman
Daniel G. Schmidt of Scotia,
Calf, and Airman John w.
Thompson III of Orange. Va.
Sentenced at the same time
were two Americans described by
United States officials as Army
civilian employees who were shot
down They are John Thomas
Downey of New Britain, Conn.,,
and Richard George Fecteau Of
Lawrence. Mass.
Also held by the Reds are four
jet fighter pilots shot down on
separate missions during the Ko-
rean war They are 1st 1t. Lyle
w. Cameron of Lincoln, Nebr., 1st
1t. Roland Parks of Omaha,
Nebr.; 1t. Col. Edwin L. Heller of
Wynnewood, Pa, and Capt.
Harold E. Fischer of Swea City.
Iowa.