The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-04-03
SERIOUS CHARGES
NOW BEING MADE
FRENCH ASSERT GERMAN SUR
GEONS ARE MALTREATING
WOUNDED PRISONERS
Seems French People Much Agitated
Over the Report and Investiga-
tiOns Are Being Made
By Henry Wood

UNITED Press Staff Correspondent. J
PARIS, March 1S-(By mail to New
York.)-Open charges are now being
made in Paris that the German mill
tary surgeons have made more fire.
quent use of the knife at the expense
of legs and arms of French prisoners
than modern curative science might
have rendered necessary
Two thousand six hundred French
prison ers, whose mutilations are so
serious tat they can never serve again
as soldiers, Ae now being returned
to France from Germany. Against this
number France has only 100 mutilated
Germans to return.
While a certain number of these on
both sides are rendered incapable of
further service on account of blind
ness, yet the great bulk are suffering
from the loss of arms and legs. Not
only the difference in the total figures
but also the proportion between
French and Germans of those who
have suffered amputations is what has
aroused in France first Indignation,
then suspicion and finally open char
ges.
Have all amputations that have
taken place amongst French prisoners
in Germany been really necessary" is
the new demand now going up. Among
st an equal number of French and
German wounded in the German hos
pitfalls, where Germany has had every
possible interest not to render unfit
for further service a single German
soldier more than was necessary and
existed on behalf of the French, have
the latter had the benefit of all the
curative science that was unquestion-
ably exercised on behalf of the former.
This is another thing which France
is openly demanding.
In addition, French surgeons are
in France is distinctly of the "conser
walton" type. A member is never sac
rificed that can in any way possible
be saved. Even in the military hos
pitfalls where the latter have been fill
led with the enemys wounded, this
principle has never been abandoned.
But what France wants to know is
that even if German surgeons as rule
are followers of this method-some-
thing of which the French surgeons
are openly doubtful-was it applied
with the same impartiality to the
French wounded who fell into the
hands of the Germans as it was to
their own.
Great light is expected to be thrown
upon this subject when the French
wounded finally arrive from Germany
A thorough investigation will then be
made by French surgeons and govern
ment officials, and if suspicious which
are now openly voiced, appear to be
verified France will submit the situa-
ton for international consideration.
Up to the present moment Germany
has shown the most alertness in pre-
pairing for the exchange of these sol
diers Whether or not her scarcity OF
food is responsible for this is not
known. The entire number of $500
are now gathered at Constance, Swift
zerland, where arrangements have just
been completed by the Swiss govern
ment for their transportation into
France This will begin next week.
Special trains have been provided, |
each one Of which will carry 260 OF
the helpless men. They will not only |
be in charge of sisters of the various |
Catholic orders and Red Cross nurses,
but each train will have at it's head a
military commander. They will travel