El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-03
BRITISH answer
GERMAN THREAT
Grey Says Submarine Pris-
oners Are Well Treated,
but Segregated.

! London. Ems. April 3.-Germauy has
! threatened Great Britain that if cap
tured German submarine crews are
subjected to harsh treatment, reprisals
viii be taken againct British officers
held in Germany. and Great Britain
has replied that German submarine
/ prisoners in England are now better
/ treated than British prisoners in Ger
many. The communications were car
ried on through the United States gov
Under date Of March 20. the Amer
I lean ambassador w-ote Sir Edward
Grey, the British foreign secretary, as
follows.
The American ambassador presents
/ his compliments TO his majesty's sec
rotary Of state for foreign affairs and
has the honor. under instruction from
the secretary Of state at Washington to
transmit the hereto annexed text OF a
telegram dated March Il, which Afr.
Bryan has received from the German
foreign office through the embassy at
Berlin:
According to notices appearing IN
the British press. the British admiralty
is said to have made known its inten-
ton not to accord to the officers and
crews OF German submarines who have
become prisoners. the treatment due to
them as prisoners Of war, and especially
not to concede to the officers the ad-
vantage Of their rank.
The German government Is OF The
opinion that these reports are not cor
rect as the crews OF the submarines
acted in the execution Of orders given
to them. and IN doing this have solely
fulfilled their military duties.
Explanation Is Requested.
At any rate the reports in question
have become so numerous in the neutral
press thar an immediate explanation Of
the true facts appears to be Of most
urgent Importance. If for no other rea-
SOE than consideration OF public ouiniCn
in Germany.
The imperial foreign office there
fore requests the American embassy to
have an inquiry Of the British govern
menc made by telegraph through the
medium Of the American embassy in
LCGdon as to whether and in what way
they intend to treat the officers and
crews Of German submarine boats who
nave been captured, in any respect
worse than other prisoners.
Germany Protests
Should this prove TO be the case
the request is added that in the name
or the German government the sharpest
protest belOged with the British govern
ment against such proceedings and that
no uOu bt be left that for each member OF
the crew Of a submarine made prisoner
a British army officer held as a prison
er OF war IN Germany will receive cor
responding harsher treatment
The imperial foreign office will be
grateful for information at the earliest
convenience regarding the result of the
steps taken"
Sir Edward Grey'z Reply.
Sir Edward Grey replied to the Amer
lean ambassador under date OF April 1
as fellows:
The secretary Of state for foreign
affairs presents his compliments TO the
United states ambassador and with
reference to his excellency's note Of
the goth ultimo respecting reports in
the press upon the treatment Of prison
ETS from German arfnaG has IA
honor to state that he learns from the
lords commissioners Of the admiralty
that the officers and men who were
rescued rom German submarines Us
ard G-l2 have been placed in naval de-
tention barracks in view Of the neces-
sity OF their segregation from other
prisoners Of war.
In these quarters they are treated
with humanity, given the opportunity
Tor exercise, provided with German
hooks, subjected to no forced labor,
British prisoners OF equal rank now in
Germany
Not Honorable Opponents.
AS, however. the crews Of the two
German submarines in question before
they were rescued from the sea were
engaged in sinking innocent British and
neutral merchant ships and wanronlv
killing nOncOmbatants. they cannot be
regarded as honorable opponents but
rather as persons who, at the orders OF
their gOFernmen have committed acts
which are offences against the law OF
nations and contrary TO common hui
mauity.
His majesty's government would
also bring TO the notice Of the United
states government that during the
present war more than 1000 officers
ana men OF the German navy have been
rescued from the sea, sometimes in
SPIKE Of danger TO the resCue-s and
sometimes TO the prejudice OF The Brit
ism naval operations. No case has. how
ever. occurred OF any Officer or man
Of the royal navy being rescued BY Ger
mans"