Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1914-10-09
WAR PRISONERS
LOT NOT WORST
RULES GOVERNING TREATMENT
ASSUMES THAT THEIR FATE
II ENDI RABLE
ALLOWED MANY LIBERTIES
Mu-t Ice Frank With taptors CIV
ing Name aud Position and are
Deprived of Military
Equipment


Special 10 The News
LONDON. oct S-Gr,at interest
attaches 10 the lot OF the many
thousands oI soldiers taken prisoners
on an sides OF the great European
war. and there has been much specu-
lation a. 10 the hardships these cap
tiycs must undergo before the end Of
the conflict As a mater Ol fact. now
ever. the lot OF the war prisoner Is
not necessarily wrctchCd or OF un-
mitigatcI hardships for the rules
governing the treatment Of prisoners
OF war are clear anu explicit. as de-
fined In internatiOna agreements
embodied iu The Hague Conventions
the Geneva Convention, and the De
claraiton of London.
II these provisions are lived up TO
th, fate of the prisoners OF war VIII
be far less disagrecablc than ia com
monty believed.
There have been many reports
cmanating from each side OF the
present war In which first one aprty
and then the other has been charged
with treating the laws OF civilized
wnriaTc "a. merely paper promises TO
bee di-regarlcd in actual practice
There have been. however. no au-
ihcutie reports OF ill-treatment o'
prisoners oi war by any OF the ar
mics engaged In the present war
Tho nation which captures lis en-
emies soldiers and holds them as
prisoners is made entirely rosponsi-
BILE for whatever hapcpns 10 then,
and shoulders a responsibility com
mensurat, with the number OF prla-
oners 1t takes The prisoners on tho
other hand. are Toy international Ia"
obligated Co be- as frank Win thelr
captor, as the captors are Nilh
them. IN return Tor humane treat
mcnt prisoner must. when ques-
toned by his captors. give ms. lrl,
name and the rank he holds IN the
army in which he served.
Contrary 10 general belief. he is
not striped Of everything and thrown
into a dungeon to be starved on stale
bread aud water. but can lawfully be
aepIiNtu uf rutl'pg e, ~ Neapohs
horses and military papers. Fur
thermore. the prisoner OF war must
have complete reisious liberty. ll
the exercise of which he may pray
a. much or l- .icvoutly as he wishes
for the. victory of his country and
hi. own sr .edt dcliverance from cap
tivty
Tho prisoner of war may br ia
termed iu % town. or q tort. or even
iu camp. I.cording 10 the conNeu.
fence of no. captors but hc may n'
confined unIr. according 20 the laN
.as un Indispensable measure OF
safety. and then only so long as ~
circumstance make necessary I'
ba sure. Boo lHI- respect the cOmatI
inc officer of The yictorious forces
has wide discretion in Interpreting
lust what measures are IndispeusA
ble 40 other times. when the pris
oner is une0uHued he is subject o,
lam the rules and regulations of th'
Government and army oaplurini
him. and 81 Hu refuses 20 obey these
rules and acts In an iusuhordiuhi'
manner toward tHo commanding OF
deer over Hu Hp is liable 10 punish
mont aud discipline. according 10 th'
ofteps. committed Tho degree o
such punishment I- arain l'it large
Ia 10 the discretion ol the officer 10
cues tiuu.
If the prisoner attempts 10 escap'
and is captured N' hi. guards beior'