KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26814, 20 August 1952, Page 5

KOREA

Sir,—The continuance of war in Korea is evidently Sir Carl Berendsens idea of “preserving world peace by force,” but to others it must appear as preserving war by force. The United States Government was signatory to a solemn convention at Geneva in 1949 accepting unconditional obligation to return prisoners •of war on cessation of hostilities and explicitly laying down (Article 7) that “prisoners of war may in no circumstances renounce in part or in whole” the right of repatriation. The interrogation for screening was undertaken by agents of Chiang Kai-shek and Syngmar Rhee. According to “The Times” special correspondent such interrogation was “rather dreadful,” based on intimidation by torture and violence. But considering it “repugnant to liberal and Christian sentiments.” to abide by signed convention, Americans continue charring the living bodies of women and children by napalm, in order to prove their “high moral qualities” and “integrity” in approach to world problems.—Yours, etc., JOHN O. STEPHENS. August 19, 1952.