They Saw the Japs

From some of its own citizens, jailed in the Far East after Pearl Harbor, the U.S. learned what it means to be a Japanese prisoner. The civilians, safe in Portuguese East Africa after a prisoner exchange, sent home stories that made grim reading.

Tokyo Diary. New York Times Correspondent Otto D. Tolischus was jailed in Tokyo with six other American newsmen and a Canadian newswoman named Phyllis Argall. His report:

"We were held in solitary confinement under severest conditions of hardship for six months on charges of espionage and violation of the National Defense Act. Miss Argall was tied up and handcuffed when she was arrested and was repeatedly slapped until her face was cut. [CBS Representative Walter R.] Wills was slapped during the whole examination period, lasting more than three months. He was forced to squat for hours in Japanese fashion, with the result that he still is suffering an injury to his left knee. [Jasper N.] Bellinger was slapped, kicked on the shins and forced to stand for hours with his hands above his head. . . .

"To force a confession the police threatened me with firing squads as an alternative to instantaneous death at the hands of the examining police. For four days early in January 1 was forced to squat for hours in the Japanese fashion while four policemen slapped my face, kicked me and made feints at strangling me until my knees were covered with open wounds and I was a physical wreck."

Newsman Tolischus had heard even more harrowing accounts from fellow passengers on the prisoner ship:

> Standard Oil Representative Clarence E. Meyer was slapped and mentally tortured until he suffered a nervous breakdown. Then his captors put him in heavy leather handcuffs, "for his own protection," and he was unable to remove his clothes for an entire week.

> Bank Employe Thomas Potter Davis Jr. was "slapped continuously, forced to sit Japanese fashion on iron crossbars and was turned over a prison chair while several policemen leaned their weight on him. Finally he was slapped across the face with his own sport shoes."

> In Korea, three American missionaries were among 22 captives thrown into a verminous prison so small that some had to stand while others slept on the floor. The Japanese forced water down their throats until they nearly drowned, beat them with rubber hose and belting.

Terror In Hong Kong. Men taken prisoner in Hong Kong reported that the invaders raped Chinese, Eurasian and white women, including three British nurses. Afterward the Japs bayoneted and burned the nurses. A group of 30 Maryknoll missionary priests was tied up, marched with British and Canadian soldiers to an execution ground. The soldiers were led around a corner: the priests could hear their screams as they were bayoneted to death. The priests were spared, but were thrown into a garage and left there for three days, still tied and without food or water.

Not all captives suffered such treatment. Some of the internment camps were humanely run; at Manila's Santo Tomas University, 3,200 prisoners governed themselves, ran a small semiweekly newspaper, took college courses, enjoyed sports, music, a Rotary Club and a Junior League. British usually were treated worse than Americans; twelve Britons were driven to suicide. Of all prisoners, the Japanese seemed to hate newsmen the worst.

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