MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

HUNS' METHODS CHANGING." •IN EVACUATION AND SUBMARINE ATTACKS. I Received Oct. 30, 7.40 p.m. London, Oct. 30. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law said that apparently there had been. a change recently in the German destructive methods in evacuating the oc-1 cupied towns. They had also ceased submarine attacks on passenger steamers. Captain Sir Owen Phillips urged that the armistice should insist "on the immediate repatriation of all British prisoners. I Mr. W. Joynson-Hicks demanded the punishment of all responsible for cruel--ties.—Am N.Z.SCable ? Assoc. ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. DRASTIC 'ACTION BY BRITAIN. ENEMY FIENDS TO BE DEALT WITH. Received Oct. 30, 9.15 p.m. London, Oct. 29. Mr. W, E. Hume-Williams stated that the treatment of our prisoners in Turkey, was one of the darkest pages in the history of the war. Nearly half of the English wiho surrendered at Kut died of starvation and neglect. , » Sir George Cave, Minister for Home I Affairs, replying, said the. rules of international law and humanity had been observed in' this country, 'but flagrantly broken by all the enemies, possibly excepting Austria-Hungary. We ascertained from returned prisoners all the facts concerning their treatment. These facts were available for use when required. In some camps the conditions were almost unspeakable, and continued so to-day, according to the evidence of prisoners lately returned. Sir George Cave described a camp where it was estimated two thousand deatihs of all nationalities had occurred since November, 19.10. Also the record regarding' working parties was of the very blackest, owing to'prisoners being subjected to the caprice, of commandants and the brutality of uneducated and vicious foremen. Prisoners had been beaten, tortured, overworked and underfed. Lord Younger's Teport concerning prisoners' treatment in mines would be published shortly. Sir- George Cave added that he had the best reasons for believing that the Government would demand the release of Britislh prisoners as an essential condition of art armistice. It was no use talking to the authors of the outrages. They must be taken by the throat and made an example of for future generations of evil-doers. It was known that lawyers were engaged in putting the record against them into shape, and Germany must bo forced to pay the penalty.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.