Las Vegas optic., 1914-10-08
WAR PRISONERS
NOT BADLY
TREATED
RULES ADOPTED BY CIVILIZED
COUNTRIES MAKE HARDSHIP
IMPOSSIBLE

sands of soldiers taxen prisoners on
all sides of the great European war,
ami there has been much speculation
as to the hardships these captives must
undergo before the end of the con-
flict AS a matter or fact, however
the lot of the war prisoner is not ne
ces sarily wretched or of unmitigated
Hardship, for the rules governing the
treatment of prisoners of war are clear
and explicit, as defined in interna-
tional agreements embodied in The
Hague conventions, the Geneva con-
vention and the Declaration of Lon
don.
If these provisions are lived up to
the fate of the prisoners of war will
be far less disagreeable than is com
mcnly believed
| There have been many reports en-
anating from each side of the present
war, in which first one party and then
the other has been charged with treat
ing the laws of civilized warfare as
merely paper promises to be disre-
garded in actual practice. There
have been. however, no authentic re
ports of ill-treatment of prisoners of
war by any of the armies engaged In
the present war.
Tho nafinn which &c
emy's soldiers and holds them as pris-
oners is made entirely responsible for
whatever happens to them, and shoul
ders responsibility commensurate
with the number Of prisoners it takes.
The prisoners, on the other hand, are
by international law obliged to be as
frank with their captors as the cap
tors are with them. In return for
humane treatment a prisoner must,
when questioned by his captors, give
his true name and the rank he holds
in the army in which he served.
Contrary to general belief, he is not
stripped of everything and thrown in
to dungeon to be starved on stale
bread and water, but can lawfully be
deprived OF nothing except weapons,
lhcrses and military papers. Further
more, the prisoner of war must have
complete religious liberty, in the ex-
ercise of which he may pray as much
or as devoutly as he wishes for the
victory of his country and his own
speedy deliverance from captivity.
The prisoner of war may be intern
ed in a town or fort, or even in
a camp according to the convenience
of his captors; but he may be confin-
ed only, according to the law, "as an
indispensable measure of safety" and
then only so long as the circumstan-
ces make necessary. To be sure. in
this respect the commanding officer
Of the victorious forces has wide dis
cretion in Interpreting just what
measures are indispensable. At other
times, when the prisoner is unconfin-
ed, he is subject to all the rules and
regulations of the government and ar
my capturing him, and if he refuses
to obey these rules and acts in an in
subordinate manner toward the COM
merding officer over him he is liable
to punishment, again left largely to
the discretion of the officer in cues
tion
II prisoner attempts to escape and
Is captured by his guards before he
! can do so, he is liable to severe pun-
ishment. On the other hand, If he
eudes his captors and rejoins his ar
my and if that army is again unfor-
tunate and he is captured a second
time, his prior escape shall not be
counted against him and must 20 un-
punished. He is thereafter treated
cnce more merely as an ordinary pris-
oner of war.
The government that holds soldier
RA1DOASA VI r. wal 10 CHdIkcdDIG WlI0
his; maintenance and must provide
hilo with food and clothing and shell
ter as good as that provided for its
own troops. The officers Of the cap
tors are required to keep records Of
all prisoners under their charge. and
if relief societies wish to minister to
their needs or comforts the officers
in command must afford them every
facility to do so. II the prisoners
friends or relatives send presents and
clothing. medicine or the like, to him
such goods must be admitted to them
free of any war duty, and the rail-
roads owned by the captor govern
ment are obliged to carry such sup
Ipiies free of charge.
War prisoners may be put to work
by the government that captures them
and their duties should be assigned
acc ording to their anfifudo fitnass ora