Nation: THE PLIGHT OF THE PRISONERS

WAN, weak and slightly bewildered, three Americans came out of North Viet Nam last week. For a total of 86 months among them, they had served in North Vietnamese prison camps; their release brought to nine the number of U.S. prisoners released by Hanoi since early 1968. The men were turned over to a four-member American peace group that had come to Hanoi to escort them home (see box). Obviously, propaganda was a major element in North Viet Nam's gesture. But whatever Hanoi's motives and however callously it toyed with the hopes harbored by the families of remaining prisoners, the release...