Evening journal., 1915-05-06
EAGI ENGLAND AND THREATENS Threatens
REPRISALS ON ENEMY
ASquith Declares Those
Who Violate War Rules
Will Pay
WANTS BRITISH
RECORD CLEAR

LONDON. May g. "Nhen the proper
time comes, due roparation will be eN-
acted Of those whatever their position
or their antcccdcnts if il can be shown
that they have violated all the rules and
usages of civilized warfare said Pre-
micr Asquith in the House OF Commons
last evening during debate on the
treatment of British prisoners by Ger.
many. he added that a careful record
of events was being kept and OF evidence
which cauld be obtained in order that,
when the proper hour came, proper pun
ishmcnt might be mcted out.
The premier referred TO the question
of the neutral intcrnmcnt of prisoners,
which had been considered. Switzerland,
he said. was the only country where -
could be done. and there were insuper-
able difficulties in the way of carrying
out the proposals. "Ihc duty of this
country" concluded the premier, sis TO
preserve a clean record"
The question had been brought mp by
Lord Robert Cecil. who said he had re-
ceived letters from officers who had
been subjected 10 special confinement by
Germany because of the special treat
ment according German submarine otii-
vers bv Great Britain. The British Off
GERS declared that they we're locked up
separately in cells, - by 6 feet, and
were not allowed to smoke.
Andrew Bonar Law. leader of the op-
position. hoped that the country would
no longer pay any attention 20 any con-
vention which would prevent the war
from heinc brought TO an end II was
worth considering. lc said, whether, at
the risk of losing all British property
in Germany. they should conhscate every
German article throughout the British
Empire.
Saws Wells We're Poisoned.
In support of charges that the Ger
mans had poisoned wells in the South
west African campaign Lewis Har-
court. Secretary of State for the Col
onies. issued communication in
which he says that when General
Louis Botha. commander of the Union
Of South African forces. occupied
Swakopmund he discovered that six
wells had been poisoned by an ar
senical cattle wash.
AS a remonstrance General BOtha
sent a communication to Colonel
Francke commander of the German
forces. This ELECTED a response. ac-
cording TO the statement of Mr.. Har-
court that the German troops had
been given orders that III they pos
sibly can prevent it not to allow any
water supplies to fall into the hands
of the enemy in form which allows
1t TO be used for man or beast
When Swakopmund was evacuated
the reply Of Colonel Francke cOntin-
ued. the officer in charge had several
bags of cooking salt thrown into the
wells. but it was found that this
could in a short time be rendered in
effective"
Intercepted Letter Read.
Thereafter. Colonel Francke's let.
ter said, I'VE tried the copper dippei
and found that by using this material
any enemy occupying the town would
for some time have to rely on water
from elsewhere"
The communication says that des.
pite General Bothas protest the prac-
tice continued. A message said to have
been from Captain Kruger of the Ger.
man protectorate troops intercepted
March %. is quoted i'm the communi
cation as saying
"The patrol at Gabib has been in
structcd thoroughly to infect with dis
case the Ida mine. Approach Swakop
mund and the Ida mine with extremi
caution. Don't water there any more.
Since their evacuation OF Aus
Warmbad and other places, Genera
Botha says in letter. "the German
troops have consistently poisoned al
wells along the railway line in thoi
retirement"