MANACLING OF PRISONERS

Southland Times, Issue 24873, 13 October 1942, Page 5

MANACLING OF PRISONERS

BRITISH OPPOSITION i TO REPRISALS (Rec. 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, October 11. Germany so far has not announced whether the threat to manacle more British, prisoners has been carried out. The diplomatic correspondent of The Daily Express says therte may be a surprise turn in the manacling affair. The development is likely to be revealed in a Government statement to the House of Commons. Informed opinion is that the statement might abruptly end the competition in chaining. An unexpectedly strong volume of opinion has developed against any British attempt to match Nazi brutality. Secret reports have reached the Government suggesting that the Germans’ main object in the original chaining was to work up hate against Britain in anticipation of possible large-scale military action on the Continent. ! While Britain intends to be firm in her attitude regarding the manacling of prisoners there is, nevertheless, a real anxiety on the part of members of the War Cabinet to avoid any competition in inhumanity, says The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent. It is believed in London that the Germans, having made a gesture, may abruptly abandon the whole matter. The German Official News Agency states that th? German High Command will shortly issue a comprehensive survey of the treatment of German prisoners by the British. It is officially announced in Ottawa that a certain number of German prisoners of war have • been fettered in Canada. All those manacled were medically fit. The total number in Canada and Britain will equal the number the Germans announced that they fettered on October 9.