COVERING THE LIE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3020, 6 March 1917, Page 5

COVERING THE LIE

GERMAN TREATMENT OF WAR PRISONERS COUNTER-ALLEGATIONS London, March 4. Tho Gorman Minister of War, speakitig in tho Reichstag, alleged that German prisonors in France are. ill-treated and forced to work in the shell-fire 7,one. Ho declared that his offer of negotiations was not answered, and therefore had-announced that reprisals would be taken. It is officially explained hero that Franco replied to the German Note, refuting tho accusations and offering on a reciprocal basis to permit tho American Embassy to visit_ prisoners, and to refrain from employing prisoners in. tho firo zone. Germany did not reply to this Note. • Tho documents show that Germany first compelled tho French prisoners to work within rango of tho French guns. Her prosent threat of reprisals hi evidently intended to -cover her own mis-deeds.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rcuter. EMACIATED WRECKS. BELGIANS RETURN FROM SLAVERY. Amsterdam, March -1. "Echo do Beige" states that a thousand deported Belgians who wore repatriated. woro_ in an emaciated and exhausted condition. There wero six deaths iu the homeward journey. Several have been removed to a hospital. —Aus.-N.55. Cable Assn. AN ORGY OF BRUTALITY. DREADFUL STORY FROM HUN .WAR PRISON. Petrograd, March i. A telegram from Senator Kriutsoff to tho President of the Commission of Inquiry into German atrocities vouches for the following story. Sixty Russian non-commisßioned officers, imprisoned at Mannheim in October last, refused to go to North France to do military work. Thereupon, by order of tho officers, tho German soldiers beat tliom with their rifle butts for half an hour, till they wore merely a mass of bloody flesh, upon which a, mounted officer walked about.—Router.