Engine Trouble In

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 13

Engine Trouble In

U-2 Reported (NX Press Assn.— Copyright) NEW YORK, February 13. A leading American television commentator stated tonight that the U-2 pilot, Francis Gary Powers, had revealed since his release that his plane had mechanical trouble before it was brought down over the Soviet Union. Fie had also revealed that he was given “psychological conditioning, including some drugs,” before being brought to trial in Moscow, the commentator said.

There was no comment from official sources on the statements, made by David Brinkley of the National Broadcasting Company on a nation-wide network news programme, the Associated Press said.

Brinkley said that Powers was still being kept in seclusion somewhere on the east coast of the United States, after his release last Saturday in an exchange for the Soviet spy. Colonel Rudolf Abel. “We have . . . learned two things he has told since the Russians let him go,” Brinkley said. “One is that he did have mechanical trouble with his U-2 airplane and was forced to descend to a much lower altitude, where he was in reach of Russian ground fire. “For four years before his plane came down, other U-2 flights had passed over the Soviet Union at yery high

altitudes and the Russians, though they knew they were there, were unable to do anything about them. “Exactly how low he was when the Russians got to him still is not known. “The other is that for more than three months before the Moscow trial he was kept in total isolation, given what is called a psychological conditioning, including some drugs, before he was put on the stand to answer a series of questions.” ' Mystery of Case One of the intriguing mysteries of the Powers case concerns the altitude at which he was brought down. The Soviet Prime Minister (Mr Khrushchev) announced on May 7, 1960, that Powers’s reconnaissance plane was crippled by Soviet rockes at 68,000 feet. This news spread dismay in Washington because of its implication that Soviet rockets would be capable of bringing down bombers flying at much lower altitudes Powers said at his trial that at 68,000 feet he was “struck down by something.” He said he had no idea what it was and never saw it.

One theory subsequently heard in Washington was that the U-2 had develoned mechanical trouble at 68.000 feet and was not struck by rockers until it had descended much lower. Powers remained in seclusion today and intelligence experts are understood to have begun their interrogation of him Senator’s Protest Two more Senators added thei’ voices to the calls for the 32-year-old pilot to tell his story before a Congressional committee. Senator Stuart Symington (Democrat. Missouri) protested that “except for rumours and reports, I don’t

know anything about Powers's venture at all.” He said he would support a move to have Powers testify unless Congressmen were furnished with soma facts from other sources. Senator Wayne Morse (Democrat, Oregon) also said he would favour calling Powers “if we need him to get full information.”