JAP CONDUCT WORST TYPE OF SLAVERY

Chronicle (Levin), 11 April 1946, Page 5

JAP CONDUCT WORST TYPE OF SLAVERY

Press Assn.

V^Crimes Commission's Second Report Tabled

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Thursday, 10.50 a.m. CANBERRA, April 11. "It would he difficuli to find in the conditions of slavery m any country at any time anything worse than the Japanese conduci towards their prisoners of war," states the second report of the War Crlmes Commission, signed by the Chief Justice of Queensland, Sir William Webb, and Mr. Justice Mansfield, and tabled in Parliament last night. "It v/as in the interests of slave-owners to keep slaves in working condition, but it weuM have appeared to have been the purpcse of many Japanese in control of prisoners of war to ensure their slow deaths by a maximum of work on a minimum of food, and otherv/ise under keart-breaking conditions. iMen normally of splendid physique rapidly declined in health and strength, contracted mitritional diseases and finally died the deafhs of black despair. Not all died from j di seases. Many died frcm violence."

The report, which consists of 148 foolscap pages and 1098 pages of evidence oi sadism, lorture and" sustained brutaiicy, quotes liundreds of cases oi atrocxuies, included among wliich are the iilbieatment oi Generai Percival, Commander of famgapore, and Lieut. -Generai Wainwngnt, wlio defended Uorregidor. m officers' camps face slappings and beatmgs were common. Omcers were beaten lor having a buuon undone, or for sitting on their oeds. The weignt oi the Austraiian,' Maj or-General Caliaghan, fell Iroin 188 pounds to 117. Brigadier A. S. Blackburn, V.C., said iie was in a carnp witn Alhed generais, governors und cmef jusucts, niciuding Generais Percival and Wainwright. He saw a Japan*ese guara stnke ali oi tliese. generai percival was severely beaten oy a private lor ahegedly having dirty iingernails. Brigadier Bmcnourn hnnseif was puncned, kicKed, starvea and connned to a nariow cell without cover in the bitcer coici untii iie signed an undertaKiiig to ouey the Japanese orders witnout questiun. Aithough on one occasion he scood to attention and bowed wiien the Japanese sentries appeared, iie was beaten untii ne ien, and was then kicked. The report states that an attempt to escape was to incur execution without trial, oiten aiter xrighGul corporal punishinent iasting sjinetiinos lor weeks.