tt tee 2

American, British prisoners live like human beings

Rep

-. the camp was established.

British correspondents who have visited POW camps
in North Korea report that American and British prison-
ers fish, swim, play soccer — and get fat. Canadian
papers (twih the exception of the Pacific Tribune and

the Canadian Tribune) suppress such facts. Photo above
(left) shows a group of POW’s, dressed in quilted uni-
forms. in front of a prison hut.
story he says that these heavy winter clothes have now

In Wilfred Burchett’s

been exchanged for summer cotton outfits, ;
right shows a Christmas celebration in one of the camp:
All holidays are celebrated and prisoners are given extta
food for three days, plus special entertainment. _—

photo at

POW’s treated well in North Korea..-

By WILFRED BURCHETT
pow CAMP 5, N. KOREA
This camp looks like a holiday
resort in Switzerland. The atmos-
phere is also nearer that of a
luxury holiday resort than a pris-
oner-of-war camp.
I walked through the rubble of
a village near the camp, ™
which was destroyed by Am-
erican planes the day after

“As I walked down the
sunlit path to the British, §
prisoners’ quarters, I saw
and heard a group of Ne-
groes practising a harmony
octet for an evening broad-
cast concert,

Groups of Americans’ were
playing volley ball and bas- § aj
ketball, and others were § “xf
sitting around reading. :

Except for the sportsmen who
were in shorts and singlets, all
prisoners were wearing light blue
cotton suits which were issued

two weeks ago as soon as the
weather was warm enough to dis-
card winter padded suits.

I was soon surrounded by 4
group of British POW’s eagerly
asking about news of the truce
talks, and whether the Americans
had yet agreed to the full release
of all prisoners. 2

They also wanted to know
whether beer prices were up after
the Budget, and who won the
League final matches.

They asked why the mail had
been held up since it started pass-
ing through American hands at
Panmunjom—and scores of other
questions. ‘

In the course: of a few days I
spoke with virtually the entire
160-odd British prisoners here—
even if in some cases there was
not time for more than a few
words, =

Everyone was full of praise

for the way they ~ have been
treated in the camp. I spoke

with different groups, sunbath-
ing and fishing on the banks of
the Yalu, playing chess and
more arduous games.

I joined them at mealtime.
From everyone [I received the
same answer, that life in Camp
No. 5 was ‘“‘a real holiday.’

Only one thing was lacking to
make it perfect—that they were
separated from their families,

One picked at random for an
account of camp life was Sam
Higginson, of 215 Southwark
Bridge Road, London. S.E.1.

Sam was dangling his toes in
the Yalu with a fishing line in the
water and rolled, a cigarette of
Chinese rationed tobacco between
his lips.

“We're all getting fat and brown
here,” he said. ‘‘We do nothing
but eat, play, read if we want to
and sleep.

“We were supposed to get:a
ration of six ounces of pork daily
during the winter, but more often

we got 12 ounces.

“Now we are supposed to get
three ounces daily through the
summer but actually it’s more,
plus fresh eggs two or three times
weekly.”

J asked what work. the prison-
ers did.

“we take it in turn for’ work
details,” Sam ‘replied. “It aver-
ages out about one detail a week
per man,”

Sam explained they were lev-
elling a new basketball pitch
and that the Chinese instruc-
tors always lent a hand with
any such physical work—and
usually work harder than the
prisoners. /

The summer camp routine is
5:30 reveille, roll call, cleaning
billets and a short period of physi-
cal training in which the Chinese
join.

Mostly they go back to bed then
till eight o’clock breakfast. Then
they have a hot meal of rice, meat

or eggs and vegetables.

Lunch at 12 at the men’s ow
eh beat
milk as they can drink. They *
all very keen on this milk *
the soya bean, which’ tastes
looks like ordinary cow’s milk an
is just as nourishing. ;

After lunch there is. a compre
ory two hours rest period,
more sports till the main mea
the day at ‘five o’clock.

This is a big meal—?™
potatoes, green vegetables i
rice or hot steamed bread whit
they have on alternate day*
washed down with coffee:

On holidays—and they
very often as all ‘Wester?
Chinese and Korean holiday
celebrated, they have three
of extra food. ae

American Thanksgiving; cn
mas, Western and Chinese “it
Year, each were greeted ¥
three days of special celebr@

eat:

occt

apd
S are oF.
aye

tion®

... In South Korean camps terror reign

KOJE ISLAND

Exactly one week after Briga-
dier-General Colson, on behalf of
the “United Nations Command,”
had pledged the end of American
killing and wounding of POW’s,
the old camp practice of murder-
ing prisoners has been resumed.
*On May 17 an American ser-
geant shot and killed a Chinese

Major-General Dodd (above)
and Brigadier-General Colson
have been reduced in rank to
colonels because they admitted
American atrocities on Koje
Island.

volunteer, but U.S. authorities,
frightened at world reactions, sup-
pressed the news for four days.
The shot prisoner was the leader
of a work party, and he was kill-
ed in the gateway of Compound
62.

Forced at last to disclose the
murder, General Boathner, new
camp commandant who is describ-
ed by U.S. correspondents at “a
tough disciplinarian of the Marine
Corps school,” said that it had
occurred during an American
search of prisoners for “conceal-
ed weapons.”

A 3,000-strong American Army
eombat team has arrived as
“suard reinforcements” for the
camp, plus British and Canadian
troops.

ternal affairs minister, this week
expressed ‘‘displeasure’’ and con-
cern to the U.S. state department
over the sending of a Canadian
unit to Koje without obtaining
Ottawa’s approval.)

Correspondents here believe
that a mass armed action against
the prisoners of Koje is being
planned. ies

On the hills surrounding 17 of
the prison compounds American
troops have moved in tanks arm-
ed with 75mm guns, and flame-
throwers are also in position for

an assault.

(L. B. Pearson, Canadian ex-

American guards on Koje Island walk past the protest signs raised by prisoners.

=

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MAY 30, 1952 —

‘

psah :