22 JANUARY 1954, Page 3

The Prisoners Freed

high, should have felt themselves obliged in the last phase of their difficult task to take account of what were no more than legalistic quibbles.. But the prisoners are being freed and this is the thing that matters. Any other course would have been unthinkable to the United Nations. As General Hull, the UN commander, said on Saturday, " to agree to further and indefinitely prolonged captivity of these prisoners would negate the very principle of human rights for which so many men of this command have fought and died." Up to the time of writing the Communists have refused to accept the 350 pro-Communist prisoners in Indian hands. This group, which obviously must consist of very determined fanatics, will still have to be watched very carefully. They represent the Communists' last chance to make trouble by exploiting the miseries of prisoners.