BURMA: Hot Potato

The Burma government last week seemed to be looking for a graceful way to drop a hot potato, i.e., its prosecution for "high treason" of famed Burma Surgeon Gordon S. Seagrave (TIME., Oct. 16 et seq.).

To defend him before a special tribunal, Dr. Seagrave had a powerful battery of legal talent, all serving without fee. His attorney was U Kyaw Myint, probably the best Burmese lawyer. Also at the defense table was able Briton Peter M. Beechenor, a Chinese barrister from Kyaw Myint's office, and an Indian lawyer named Venkataram.

Seagrave had originally been held under Burma's catchall Public...