NO NOTIFICATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1943, Page 4

NO NOTIFICATION

RECEIVED IN LONDON OF GERMAN THREAT TO TRY WAR PRISONERS. NO OFFICIAL COMMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, December 23. There is no official comment in London on the German threat to try prisoners of war. No notification of any kind Jias been received from Ihe Protecting Power. The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press says the German Foreign Office statement, after telling the German people of the Kharkov executions, describes the charges as mad and stupid. The statement continued: “Defenceless German prisoners of war are being forced by tortute and by wearing down of their nerves to send collective appeals to the German people or to be condemned individually.” The Stockholm “Afton Tidningen” says it is not impossible that German reprisals for the Kharkov sentences will be taken against American airmen in German prison camps. Germany has reached inflation with Russian lives and is therefore turning to American currency. The Germans probably consider they can thereby force American pressure against Moscow. It can hardly be believed, however, that such a German manoeuvre will halt the Russian prosecution of war criminals. Judging from these signs, the war will become grimmer still before it ends . The “Daily Express” says: “Mr Churchill is giving his personal attention to the situation created by the German threat to try British and American prisoners of war. Mr Eden, as soon as the news of,the German threat reached London, sent a message to Mr Churchill, who is well enough to deal with urgent official work. The threat will be considered by the British, American, Russian and Dominion Governments. The decisions will be sent through Switzerland to Berlin. “Strong action will be undertaken to - enforce international law, but reprisals in kind are unlikely. It will be made' clear that anyone participating in such trials of our men will be considered war criminals, to be dealt with when the time comes. It has been known for some time that the Germans have been planning reprisals against prisoners because air raids are killing civilians. The Kharkov trial is believed to have been seized on as an excuse.”