Arizona republican., 1915-03-20

males under 17 or over B, between Great Britain and Germany, or under IS or over 90 between Great Britain and Aus ria Hungary. or physicians or clergymen unless some special reason justified detention in individual cases.
 Both sides agreed to arrange for the reciprocal release of all civilians phy- sically disqualified for military service.
 In addition to the agreements thus adopted these governments have under consideration further agreements for the exchange and seleased of detained enemy aliens. which arrangements and the respective positions of the beliger- ent governments with respect thereto, are understood to be as follows:
 "1-The German and Austro- Hun garian governments are prepared to agree to a reciprocal release of civilians over the age for compulsory military service under their respective laws, which in Germany is A years and in AustrO- Hungary 4a years of age. The British government have refused as yet to reduce the age below "a in the case of Germany and 90 in the case or Aus tria- Hungary. but this question has been under consideration and may be reconsidered.
 ''2-Both sides. have expressed a will linsness to agree to exchange. man for man. of civilians of military age on lists to be proposed on each side for the approval of the other. 4
 ''a-The British and German govern ments are disposed to observe the pro- visions of articles 6 and [ of the elev- enth Hague convention in 1907 regard ing the crews of enemy merchant ships captured by a belligerent but there has been a difference between the two gov ernments as to the meaning of these provisions.
 The German government interprets these articles as meaning that the the crews of captured ships are not on- iy to be released from imprisonment but permitted to return to their country without intolerance if they so desired under parole against employment in any service connected with the opera tions of the war. The British government. on the oth- CT hand, interprets these provisions as merely requiring the liberation on pa trol in Great Britain of the crews of captured merchant ships under the res ervation that subsequently they will be treated no more favorably than other Germans residing in Great Britain. Tt is understood that the British government are reexamining these pro- visions in the light of the meaning at tributed to them by the German gov ernment.
 This question has not arisen be- tween Great Britain and Austria Hun Sarv as these two governments reached agreement a the beginning of the war, l releasing each others merchants ships l and crews, and very few have since | been captured
 The arrangements made by France 1 and Russia with Germany and Austria : Hungary are understood to be similar | with those made by Great Britain Tn regard to military prisoners. no 1 arrangements have been made for the | exchange of such prisoners, except that
 
 of the United States early in Novem- 1 Der both sides as have agreed that all ] wounded prisoners who are perman- ently disabled for military service shall be released on a reciprocal basis With regard to the treatment of | prisoners. it appears from Mir. Ander- sons report that each of the beligerent 1 governments has established for itself standards and rules governing it's | treatment of military prisoners of war and civilians in detention camps. They all have announced their willingness on | condition of reciprocity, to give effect | to articles XIV and XVI of the annex
 to the Hague convention number XV I Of 1907 which provides for the estab- | iishment of prisoners of war inquiry
 office for furnishing information about l prisoners in each country. and the de 1 livery of mail. money and parcels to prisoners of war. In many other re- spects the arrangements adopted are 1 similar on both sides, but as is inevit | able. where no common basis of treat
 ment is established there are also many | important differences.
 Attention is directed by MT. Ander- | son to the fact that Germany alone
 claims. several months ago. to have up-
 wards of 530.0OO prisoners of war. con-
 sisting of about 10000 British. over
 300,O0O Russians and 100000 French | and Belgians. There are several thou
 sand German prisoners of war in Great l Britain in addition to the 12.O00 ol
 more German and Austrian civilians 1T | concentration camps. Many thousands | of German and Austrian soldiers art l known to be held as military prisoners
 in France. and the number of prisoners of war who have been taken on botf
 sides between Russia and Germany ani
 Austria Hungary runs to very larg, l figures
 'lt is unquestionably true that eact
 government desires to deal with thi. very difficult situation in a manner
 which will be satisfactory to all con.
 cerned, insofar as circumstances per init. Nevertheless. in view of tn, | known differences there naturally hay, been misunderstanding and misgiving!
 on both sides about the treatment o their subjects who are held as military or civilian priSonprS in enemy territory