Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-28
BRITISH PRISONERS
INSULTED AND SHOT,
KITCHENER CHARGES
Commander of Englsnd's Armies
Says Germans Have Stripped
and Maltreated Their Cap
tives of War.
MADE TO SUFFER INDIGNTTIEs
House of Lords Told Wounded Off
GERS WantOnly Struck by
Teuton Conquerors,
NOTHING LIKE IT IN SUDAN

LONDON, April 27.-wAr Secre-
tary Kitchener told the House OF
Lords today that British prisoners
had been insulted. maltreated and
even shot down by their German
captors. He made a statement to the
house on this subject. in which he
said
81 have been forced with re-
mcttance 20 accept as indisputably
true the maltreatment by the Ger
man army OF British prisoners. The
Hague convention has been fla
grantly disregarded by German Of
ficers. Our prisoners have been
stripped and maltreated in various
WAYS and in some cases the evidence
goes on to prove that they have been
shot in cold blood. Our officers even
when wounded, have been wRntonly
insulted and frequently struck"
says Cane ne, Doubted.
Earl Kitchener said that a. a soldier
he hitherto had always held officers Of
tho German army In respect, but CON
slant testimony thas has come IN. not
only from our own escaped prisoners. but
from French. Russian. Belgian and
American sources, has brought IL homo
70 all who have sfted the evidence that
the lnhutnanity displayed by the German
authorities. toward British prisoners espe-
ciapy. q beyond doubt"
AZ. Al.
Conventions adopted at The Hague relat-
ing to the treatment OF prisoners OF war,
and assel ted that they had been disre-
gardcd fiagrantly by German officers. He
added.
II think e only fair and right TO say
that the German hospitals should be ex-
cepted in any charges OF deliberate In
humanity
Germany has for many years posed be-
fcre the civilized world as a great mill
tary nation 1t has abundantly proved It's
military skill and courage.
should set standard.
But surely It was for It TO set up a
standsrd OF military honor and conduct
.zl,ies. gain the respect. II not thaL frisnA-
shit Of nations Instead, II has stopped
to acts which will surely stain indelibiy
It's military history and which would vie
With the barbarous savasery OF the
dereN Ishes OF sudan.
II DO not think there can be a soldier
OF any nationality. even Amongst the
Germans themselves, who is not heartily
ashamed OF the slur which has been thus
brought upon the profession of arms. The
usages Of war have not only been out
RACED by the infliction OF cruelties on
British prisoners, but by a eontrfvance.
which must have arrested your lordships'
attention, the Germans have in the last
week introduced a method of placing
their opponents hors de combat by the
use OF asphyxlating gases. and they em-
ploy these poisonous methods TO prevail
when their attack according TO the rules
OF war, might otherwise have failed.
wOnt Forget Record.
1T is horrible story from every par
ticular-one OF the biackest spots ON even
German methods OF war. My object In
rising is to say with all emphasis and all
deliberation that we shall not forget and
We ought not TO forget this horrible rec
ord OF calculated cruelty and crime.
1--WE shall at the end Of this war hold
II to be our duty to exact such repara-
tion against those who are proved TO be
the guilty agents in this matter as Il
may be possible for us to inflict. I do
not think we would be doing our duty
either to those brave, unfortunate men,
or TO the honor OF our country. or to the
plain dictates OF humanity, II We should
be content with anything less than that" {"