convicts. All but 150 of these convicts had been transported to 
 
another prison near Puerta Princessa, Palawan, the 150 being re- 
 
tained to aid in the management of the prison farm. These 
 
150 felons had been convicted of killing their fellowman in all the
 
various degrees ranging from manslaughter to murder; but it is no 
 
exaggeration to say that not one of them but was kinder and more
 
human than any of our Japanese guards. In fact, two of these con-
 
victs came along as willling guides when ten of us finally got free
 
am the first party of American prisoners of war to escape from the
 
Japs in the Philippines.
 
            As we marched into the prison colony we were lined up
 
for review by Major Maida, the Japanese prison commander. We
 
could see that he was furious. Major Maida pointed at the great 
 
number in our ranks who were so ill they could barely stand. He 
 
stormed about, declaring that he had asked for prisoners capable
 
of doing hard labor. Instead, he shouted, he had been sent a batch
 
of walking corpses.
 
     If Lt. Col. Mori, the Japanese commander at Cabanatuan,
 
had known of these requirements he had kept such knowledge to him-
 
self. In fact, he had included many sick in our party, perhaps to
 
avoid the trouble of having them die on his hands.
 
     Major Maida outlined the kinds of work which awaited
 
us, no matter what our wishes in the matter. This work included
 
planting and harvesting rice; the planting and harvesting of corn,
 
camotes and mongo beans; logging; the building of field fortifica-
 
tiens, barbed wire entanglements and parapets for riflemen; plowing,
 
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