Not since the Korean truce talks opened at Kaesong in July, 1951 had Communist negotiators said, "I agree to your proposal," so often in such a short time. After several days of rapid progress last week, Rear Admiral John C. Daniel, chief of the U.N. liaison group, came triumphantly out of the wooden, Red-built conference house at Panmunjom, announcing that the U.N.-Communist agreement on exchange of sick & wounded prisoners had been signed. Photographers persuaded the admiral to perform his exit a second time, waving the agreement in his hand.*
The Reds agreed to return 605 U.N. prisoners—450 South Koreans,...