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for Russell IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 11, 1952 PW The President today sent the following memorandum to the Secretary of Defense: MEMORANDUM for: Secretary of Defense see also 4 Letter Attached is copy of a letter from Senator Russell, which I think has a lot of merit. sec It seems to me that it would be well to ask Sweden, Switzerland, India, Pakistan and Indonesia to send military men to Korea to starts take a look at the situation and see what really is happening. Jun 2452 Senator Russell's letter is self explanatory. HARRY S. TRUMAN Following is the President's letter to Senator Russell: Dear Dick: I appreciated very much your letter of the tenth as the result of our conversation yesterday on the situation in Korea. I hope we can get a concrete result. I am enclosing you copy of a memorandum which I have just sent to the Secretary of Defense, and copy of memorandum I have just sent to the Secretary of the Army Frank Pace. Sincerely yours, HARRY S. TRUMAN Senator Russell's letter to the President follows: Dear Mr. President: The situation resulting from the loss of control of the prisoner of war camps on Koje-do Island is, I am sure, of great concern to both of us. The Senate Committee on Armed Services has conducted hearings on this matter and I have given it a great deal of study. A core of fanatical Communists have apparently assumed complete control of the prisoner of war compounds. All of their actions are undoubtedly directed by higher authority for the sole purpose of giving our enemies grist for their propaganda mill which is devoted to discrediting this country in the eyes of the world. We know that we have leaned over backwards to accord to every Communist prisoner of war taken in battle every right and privilege to which he is entitled by the Geneva Convention. We have done this despite the fact that the Communist enemy will not permit officials of the International Red Cross, who constantly observe our every act on Koje-do, to even visit our own soldiers who have fallen into the hands of the Communists. Our leniency has been so extreme as to be an undoubted factor in the