Mr. BENNETT. The greatest torture of all was the torture of starvation; the torture of waiting; the torture of sitting with all of the discomforts and no comforts. I was slapped. I was physically beaten less than many of my fellow prisoners. I reached the point of physical exhaustion; I contracted beri-beri. That is a malnutritional disease.

I contracted bacillary dysentary and amebic dysentary all at the same time. I had a temperature of near 106-just a trifle under 106, because I got a Japanese thermometer and took my own temperaturein a cell with no medical attention. I eventually did get medical attention. I was so sick that I did not know whether I should be alive 1 hour from the time or not.

I was in the midst of continual suffering on the part of others. I saw men go crazy in the cell. I saw men dying by slow death in the cell. I saw people beaten. I saw people beaten until they were sick. I was struck several times. I was made to stand in the floor

and bow to the guard for as long as 45 minutes at a time. I was kept in a cell in which there was almost no sanitary provisions as long as 15 days without even taking a bath, with lice-body lice, head lice, all kinds of insects on us-eaten by mosquitos.

I was kept there just as a beast might be kept. The cow or the horse or the pig on the farm that you know is better treated than I was treated, as a human being. I was scorned. I was threatened. The guard would come and stick his gun in our face and stand there. "You American. You blankety, blankety, blankety, blankety."

We did not know at any moment whether he was going to fire or not. We frequently did not know what he wanted us to do. We were just kept there.

My wife tried to get permission to find out what the charges were against me, whether she could do anything. She was out with her sick mother. Her mother died in the midst of the Japanese occupation. She was denied permission. She came once where I could see her through the bars, but most of the time I did not see her. For 8 months I did not have a pinch of salt. For 9 months I did not see a thing green except one corner of one tree we could see from our cell. We sat on the floor in a room considerably smaller than this semicircle here with as high as 22 men in there, with far more square feet or square inches of back space of men than there were square inches of floor space on which we could lie.

I was asked many times what I was going to do; asked in such a way that I assumed that they wanted to know whether I would submit to the Japanese; would surrender and publish the newspaper for them. I refused to take the hint and said, "I can do nothing, because I am your prisoner."

I was scorned with as much hatred-bitterness-as one person speaking a language could show toward another.

Mr. HINSHAW. Were instruments used upon you in torture?

Mr. BENNETT. No.

Mr. HINSHAW. When you say they beat you, you mean they beat you with their fists?

Mr. BENNETT. With a shoe, a wooden shoe off the man's foot. Mr. HINSHAW. Did you suffer personal injury from your experiences?

Mr. BENNETT. I hope it will not be permanent. I am still under medical treatment.

Before I came this morning I took medicine which had been given me, trying to build my system up.

The CHAIRMAN. Any further questions, gentlemen?

Mr. BECKWORTH. I have been interested in the statement of the gentleman, and I feel you have made a wonderful contribution in stating the facts in reference to the atrocities that took place. Mr. BENNETT. Thank you.

Mr. PRIEST. Mr. Chairman?

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Priest.

Mr. PRIEST. Just one observation also. I think Mr. Bennett not only has convinced everybody of his great Americanism, and the patriotism of his associates but as a former newspaper man, I have been considerably moved by the fact that throughout it all he has upheld the very finest traditions of the "fourth estate." That appealed to me personally very much in your very moving and touching story before the committee.

Mr. BENNETT. I thank you.

Mr. HINSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I would like to state that I have here these copies of the Manila Bulletin, from the Congressional Library, in order that Mr. Bennett might review the words that he had written or caused to be written in the days before Pearl Harbor in Manila.

I think that the last issue of that paper or any other newspaper in the Philippine Islands, which is in the Congressional Library, is that of November 28, 1941, is it not?

Mr. BENNETT. The last one I saw, Mr. Hinshaw, was the 27th, I believe.

Mr. HINSHAW. November 27, 1941.

Mr. BENNETT. The last issue printed was on January 2, 1942. The last copies of the paper, of this paper, that were printed, were distributed free in the streets of Manila to try to maintain quiet and calm even when the Japanese were at that moment moving into the city of Manila.

Mr. HINSHAW. The fact that the last issue of this Manila Daily Bulletin, which reached Washington and the Congressional Library, was dated November 27, is to me an indication that that was carried on the last ship that came through to the States from the Philippine Islands. I personally have examined some of these papers, Mr. Chairman, and nowhere in any of these papers, either that edited by the witness before us, or in the other papers which we have here in the file, temporarily, do I find any indication whatsoever, either of fear on the part of those who were in the Philippines, Americans, or any indication that they should withdraw, or had been told to withdraw, up to that time.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any further questions, gentlemen? (No response.)

The CHAIRMAN. If not, Mr. Bennett, I wish to express, as I have already indicated, my personal appreciation as well as that of the committee for your appearance before us, and your statement which has dealt with basic and fundamental principles that must be considered in legislation of this character. You have certainly demonstrated

not only by your own conduct but that which you have spoken as to others, that each exhibited a high order of American patriotism in the part that you took in remaining in the islands under conditions that were growing daily serious.

Mr. BENNETT. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. We did our duty as best we knew how to do it.

SUPPLEMENTARY TESTIMONY BY ROY C. BENNETT

Since I testified before this committee and requested and received permission to supplement my testimony by additional direct quotations from the Manila Daily Bulletin issues printed in the period preceding the outbreak of the Pacific war, a letter to this committee from Francis B. Sayre, prewar United States High Commissioner to the Philippines has been received into the record. The statement by Mr. Sayre that Americans were not advised to leave the Philippines, the statement that Washington instructed him against the issuance of such a warning, seems to me to go far toward removing the necessity for further testimony by me to supplement and support that already presented. However, it seems to me that one point still requires emphasis. This point is that not only were the Americans without instructions or transportation facilities, but that they were made to feel that their duty was to stay for the actual service they might render, individually and collectively, and for the carrying out of a Pacific policy in relation to Japan and for measuring up to the responsibilities of the American Government and American people to the Philippine government and the Filipino people. The following are quotations from copies of the Manila Daily Bulletin on file in the Library of Congress:

[Sayre on War, editorial printed in the Manila Daily Bulletin, October 18, 1941, p. 8] High Commissioner Sayre's remarks on America's approach to the brink of war were made to a group of businessmen Thursday noon, at least 6 hours before the news of the fall of the Konoye Cabinet in Tokyo reached the Philippines. That his remarks fitted the circumstances of another nation's apparent headlong approach to war so closely was one of those chronological accidents that point up the headlines.

The Commissioner's comment on the brink of war led up to a warning against the spirit of defeatism, timely warning, wisely worded. Even more important to us in the Philippines was Mr. Sayre's calm statement that the United States already is engaged in warfare of the economic variety, through export control and restriction of trade via the freezing of belligerent aliens' funds here.

Whether we like it or not, everybody in the Philippines shares in this economic warfare. We are following a clear-cut policy. It is to the Commissioner's credit that he does no beating around the bush, no hiding behind sugar-coated phrases. Our duties and our individual share in the present stage of warfare are made plain to us. When our businesses suffer, when we have to pay higher prices for things, or do without, when the routing of our lives is uprooted by call to service or other demands of emergency preparations, we do it not blindly but with our eyes open.

High Commissioner Sayre was generously appreciative of the cooperation he has received in carrying out the requirements of his duties. This community appreciates his frankness in explaining things as they are and wishes he would do so more often. So far as it can be told to us, we want to know what we are up against.

[Issue dated September 23, 1941, p. 6, column 1, also on the Pacific]

It is absolutely right that the people should have full opportunity to reach a decision based on a comprehensive study of the major factors of the war issue. Regard for the democratic order and democratic processes calls for a decision by the people, a decision on war crises and a decision on what to do in support of the platform adopted.

The decision in regard to the Pacific requires an understanding between the American people and the Filipinos. It is a matter of official record and common knowledge that the understanding between the United States and the Philippines in connection with Pacific defenses has been and now is excellent insofar as the

course of action has been charted, but there is far too much of opportunism in charting of the course for the whole program and for procedure.

We say that clear-cut issues on foreign policy should be placed before the American and Philippine peoples for the ultimate decision which they alone can make.

[November 15, 1941 (editorial), p. 20, column 1, Thanksgiving in a Crisis]

In the celebration of the anniversary of the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth runs an element of thanksgiving for the choice of a democratic form of government and way of living for the Philippines.

World events have created a situation that lends seriousness to this celebration. However, these cataclysmic world events and the situation which they have produced have not lessened the gratification that democracy is established here (November 15, p. 2).

The Philippines today holds a position of great responsibility.

Filipino leaders have given assurance, and repeated in words and by acts, that the Philippines stands foursquare with the United States in meeting the present crisis. This pledge is in a way an expression of gratitude; in a manner of speaking it represents a desire to pay a debt, but it has a meaning reading deeper than mere gratitude and debt-paying. It represents the acceptance of a responsibility in a world sense. It means adherence of a political order when adherence to that order spells supreme effort to meet a crisis so very serious that we have to call into use the full limit of material and spiritual resources to start the job. That is the explanation of the combination of seriousness and thanksgiving in ordering today's program.

The CHAIRMAN. Is Mr. Bell present?

STATEMENT OF PAUL RUTLEDGE DANNER, NEW YORK, N. Y.

Mr. DANNER. Mrs. Bell telephoned me this morning to say that Mr. Bell was taken quite seriously ill last night. Mr. Bell and his wife and two sons were here at the hearing all day yesterday but he is ill and cannot attend the hearing. He requested that one of us be permitted to read his statement which has already been prepared. The CHAIRMAN. Is it your intention to do so? If so, you have that permission.

Mr. DANNER. I will be glad to do so.

The CHAIRMAN. Suppose you hold it in the meantime until we proceed with one or two other of the witnesses who I understand must leave shortly.

Mrs. Carl Olsen? Mrs. Olsen, will you give your address, please?

STATEMENT OF MRS. CARL OLSEN, DURHAM, N. C.

The CHAIRMAN. You may be seated if you wish and proceed with your statement.

Mrs. OLSEN. Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen of the committee, in August of 1929 I sailed from New York City for Manila, Philippine Islands, with my brother, Col. D. L. Hardee, of the United States Army. He had been assigned to serve 2 years in the Philippines. Soon after our arrival there I was offered a position on the faculty of the American school in Manila and I taught in that school for about one and a half years.

Then in March of 1931 I married Carl E. Olsen, from Chicago, Ill., who was a businessman in Manila. And in that land, under our cwn flag, we made our home. He was vice president and general manager of Erlanger & Galinger, Inc., at the outbreak of the war.

My husband, two small daughters, and I returned for our second vacation in the States at the close of 1940. The following June passports were requested for our return to the islands and they were promptly sent without question or warning. And we sailed from San Francisco July 12, arriving in Manila July 31, 1941. Less than 5 months before war broke out.

We were American citizens living under the American flag and on American territory. We received no warning whatsoever from our Government that danger was impending. War broke, and we were caught on a small island 7,000 miles from home. And in 1 month's time my husband, two small daughters, and I were herded into internment along with 5,000 others. This was to become the well-known Santo Tomas Internment Camp.

The Japanese officials who came to take us off to internment told us that it was for 3 days only, and allowed us to take clothing and food for only 3 days. This was January 8, 1942. We stayed 3 years.

In those 3 years time the Japanese did not provide us with one single garment of clothing. And had it not been for the one shipment of American Red Cross supplies which the Japanese allowed to reach us in December of 1943 many of the internees would have been almost entirely without clothing at the end of those 3 years.

As for food, it was not until January 31 that the Japanese allowed a central kitchen to be opened and the internees fed from it. Many had suffered greatly in those days since our arrival in camp on the 8th. Always the food was inadequate both in quality and quantity, for the Japanese never at any time allowed enough of any good thing. They consistently pursued a systematic, diabolical program of slow starvation. During the 37 months of internment my husband's weight dropped from 188 to 119 pounds; my own from 138 to 88 pounds.

We learned to expect no mercy at the hand of our captors. And liberation was our only hope. And whenever two or more met no conversation would have seemed complete without some reference to either food or liberation; no matter what brought a group together the conversation always turned to food. Thirty-seven months in crowded spaces which were poorly ventilated and with no privacy whatever. Long hours of work. Each was assigned a camp duty. I did school work, my husband was on a squad which did heavy, hard work. And with the passing of months the indignities, privations, hardships, cruelties, sickness, and hunger increased, until many could not endure to the end. And toward the end I stood by the bedside and held the badly swollen hand of a dying friend and knew that death was due alone to starvation.

I have known men with big, strong, husky bodies to become so emaciated from hunger that to stand erect was too much for their strength. And I have seen little children with faces that looked like wizened old people with eyes that were shrunken and lusterless and hair that had lost its sheen. Our younger daughter was among those who perished in those dark days of waiting. She had just passed her eighth birthday when she died of tubercular meningitis in September. Before our boys arrived on the night of February 3.

The home which we left, when taken into internment, was in one of the oldest and best-known American residential sections of Manila. I had spent 10 happy years in selecting the furnishings for our home.