PRISONERS IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 208, 22 May 1918, Page 8

PRISONERS IN GERMANY

DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE MEN IN MINES. Lord Beresford, in the House of Lords recently, called attention to the barbarous treatment of prisoners of war in Germany employed in factories, mines, and chemical works. Lord Newton, replying for the Foreign Office, said it was perfectly true that the conditions, more especially, in coal mines, wore very often absolutely deplorable. Our prisoners employed on work in Germany were so employed in twos and threes, and were scattered over such a very, large area that tho circumstances lent themselves lo our men being treated with great brutuiity. Many of these men had been handed over to contractors, who treated them extremely badly. The plea was generally made that our men were not worked any harder than the German civilian. In every case brought to their notice tho Government instantly niado representations at Berlin aii<l asked for a visit to the camp- by the Dutch representative. While in some instances conditions were- absolutely deplorable, employers in Germany were generally doing their best to alleviate the lot of the prisoners of war. He added that it would he better for both countries to agree not to employ prisoners of war underground. That would bo infinite!-- better than engaging in perpetual recrimination, with the threat on our part to adopt retaliatory measures.