April 28, 1952
MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
Participants: Mr. Herbert Bayard Swope Mr. Acheson
Mr. Herbert Bayard Swope telegraphed the Secretary asking if he could speak with him on the telephone at 3:30 today about a matter "of extreme importance in connection with Korea which has just been suggested by a first-class man eager to help the country". The call was put though.
Mr. Swope said he had had a conversation with David Sarnoff who was concerned over the fate of the prisoners of war in Korea who did not want to be repatriated. Mr. Sarnoff suggested that these people might be divided among the members of the United Nations participating in the Korean war, so that they would thereby be given sanctuary, freed from the status of prisoner of war, and avoiding the necessity of returning them to the North Koreans.
The Secretary explained that the bulk of these people were Koreans who want to stay in South Korea. The South Koreans who have suffered great losses want them to stay and can absorb them. Those among the prisoners who are Chinese will have to be dealt with on some different basis. The Secretary assured Mr. Swope that these prisoners were not going to be returned to the North Koreans and that to move them at this time would be impractical because of the numbers. He also said that the United Nations Command had assured the other side that these prisoners would not take part in the hostilities.
- 2 -
Mr. Swope said that what Mr. Acheson had said was satisfactory and that he would report to Mr. Sarnoff that Mr. Acheson was very appreciative of Mr. Sarnoff's interest; that Mr. Acheson had explained the impracticability of moving these people; and that it was best to keep them in the camps; and that Mr. Acheson had assured him that they would not be returned to the North Koreans.
S:BEvans:mlm