Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-18

i CARTER L. BURGESS
j Committee Chairman
II ---Harris-Rwins Photo
.lmay therefore be made to suffer
Icoercive interrogation.
\ Strong leadership is essential
Ito discipline. without discipline,
lea mp organization, resistance
land even survival may be Inn
possible. Personal hygiene, camp
sanitation. and care Of sick and
wounded are imperative. Oficers
and non commissioned officers OF
1.-THE United States win continue
Ito carry out their responsibilities
land exercise their authority SUBJ
'fsequent to capture, The senior
lime officer or non-commissioned
Ioficer within the prisoner of war
camp or group Of prisoners viii
assume command according to
frank Cor precedence) without re-
lgard to service. This responsi.
Ibility and accountability may not
Ibe evaded. If the senior oficer
Tor non-commissioned officer Is
'Iincapacitated or unable to act
flor any reason. command viii
lbe assumed by the next senior.
lIf the foregoing organization
cannot be effected, an organ
Iization Of elected representatives,
las provided for In Articles 1881
Geneva Convention Relative to
Treatment of Prisoners Of War.
lor a clandestine organization, or
both, will be formed.
/ Every serviceInan possesses
some important military infor-
Imatlon of value to the enemy.
by revealing 1t they may cause
1.-THE death Of comrades or dis
aster to their unit, or even the
defeat Of major forces Of the
Nation.
when questioned, should ]
become . prisoner Of war, ! am
bound to give only name, rank,
service number, and date Of
birth. / viii evade answering
further questions to the utmost
81 my ability. i will make NO
oral or written statements dis
loyal to my country and Its
allies or harmful to their cause.
when questioned, q prisoner
| OF war is required by the Geneva
Conventions and permitted by
this Code to disclose his name.
rank, service number. and date
OF birth. A prisoner Of war may
also communicate with the en-
envy regarding his individual
health or welfare Is q prisoner
of war and, when appropriate,
on routine matters Of camp ad-
ministration. Oral or written
confessions true or false, ques-
Itionnaires, personal history
statements. propaganda record
Iings and hroadcasts, appeals to
other prisoners Of war, sigma
lures TO peace or surrender ap-
lpeals, self criticisms or any other
toral or written communication
lon behalf Of the enemy or crit
lical or harmful TO the United
States, its allies, the armed
forces or other prisoners are
forbidden.
1t is a violation of the Geneva
conventions to place q prisoner
LOT war under physical or mental
torture or any other form Of
coercion to secure from him in
formation Of any kind. If, how.
lever, a prisoner is subjected to
such treatment, he will endeavol
; to avoid by every means the dis.
closure Of any information, o.
, 1.-THE making Of any statement OF
1.-THE performance of any action
harmful to the interests Of the
UNITED States or its allies OF
which will provide aid or CON-
fort to the enemy.
Russia and the Communist
Ibloc nations have made q sig
lniflcant reservation to Article IS
. LOT the Geneva Conventions Of
l1949. Under this reservation Q
lprisoner Of war who may be con-
lvicted Of an alleged war crime
under the laws of the captors.
loses the protection afforded q
lprisoner Of war by these Con-
MENTIONS. Therefore the signing
LOT q confession or the making OF
q, statement by a prisoner Is
likely to be used to convict him
as q war criminal" and thus,
according to this Communist
bloc device, deny to him any pro.
. lection under the terms Of the
Geneva Conventions, including
Repatriation until his sentence is
served.
vi
An American Is responsible
land accountable for his actions.
Prisoner Of war status doesn't
Ichange this nor does it change
the obligation to remain faithful
to the United States and to the
principles for which 1t stands.
Throughout his captivity, o pris-
Ioner should look to his God for
strength to endure whatever may
Ibefall. He should remember that
1.-THE United States Of America
Twill neither forget, nor forsake
him, and that it will win the
ultimate victory.
I will never forget that I am
an American fighting man, re-
Iponsible for my actions, and
dedicated TO the principles which
made my country free. l will
trust In my God and In the
United States of America.
| The provisions of the Uniform
lCode Of Military Justice when
ever appropriate continue to APP