The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-11-05
HOPE FOR WAR PRISONERS
Agreement for Better Treatment OF
Captured Men.

prisoners OF war, which if kept by the
Teutcn officials delegated to carry 1t
out will greatly ameliorate the condi-
ton of the wretched captiyes held in
Germany, are made public in White
Paper just issued by Great Britain.
The paper Is OF the greatest interest
TO Americans, inasmuch as it almost
certainly viii form the basis OF sim
liar agreement between the United
States and Germany. The conference
at which the agreement was reached
was held at The Hague under the
presidency OF J. Louden, the Neither
land minister OF foreign affairs, as
sisted by two other Dutch officials,
Minister Jonkheer and DR.. G. G. w.
T.. Van yredenburgh,
At this conference also an agree
ment.was made whereby the Neither
lands government undertook to care
for $1,000 British and German com
Blatant or civilian prisoners OF war,
the respective governments OF these
nationals to refund all costs of intern
snent and 10 furnish materials neces-
sary for the construction and upkeep
OF the camps, FOR medical attention
and for the victualing and clothing OF
the informed
Among the provisions OF the agree
ment is enc whereby the British gov
eminent will permit the German med.
ical personnel originally belonging to
the German garrison of Tsing-tao,
China, ami now in the United States,
TO return to Germany by sea If they
are permitted by the American gov
eminent to do so.
a very important arrangement is
that reprisals against combatant and
civilian prisoners of war may only be
carried out after at least four weeks
notice OF intention so to do has been
given. The time limit begins with
the date on which the SWISS Legation
in London has been notified of the in
tended reprisals against German pris-
oners in British hands, or the Neither
lands Legation in Berlin has been APP
prised OF those contemplated against
British prisoners in German hands,
In cases which seeas suitable an at.
tempt viii be made to eliminate the
reasons for reprisals by arranging
personal discussion at The Hague be-
fore threatening the reprisals.
Notification of Captures.
Another clause of deep interest pro-
vides that both military administra-
tons will Immediately repeat instruc-
tons to all concerned to the following
effect: Al captures are to be mott
fed by the captor state to the other
state with the least possible delay;
every prisoner captured is to be al
lowed 10 communicate at once with
his family and is TO be provided with
the means OF doing So and the dis.
patch OF his communications is TO be
facilitated; as soon as practical after
capture every prisoner is TO be en-
abed TO inform his family of an adj
dress at which his family can COM
municate with him
Other provisions, in brief, are ap
pended;
Reparation of comhatant and civ
ilian prisoners OF war under the exist
ing agreements shall be resumed as
soon as practical, and to that end the
Netherlands government has been re-
quested by both parties to arrange
for and carry through such repatria
ton in q manner agreeable to the
British and German governments
All tuberculosis prisoners informed
ia Switzerland, who arc practically
cured, shall be repatriated after ex
aminntion
New and moro lenient schedules of
disabilities shall be drawn up for
guidance in choosing combatant pris-
oners OF war for repatriation direct
or from a neutral country.
Prisoners Of war who have been at
least Is months in captivity and who
are suffering from barbed wire dis
ease.' shall for the future be recog-
nized as suitable for internment III
Switzerland or other neutral country.
IL, after being inteined there for
three months, considerable improve
ment in health is not observable, the
disease will be treated as serious and
the prisoner entitled to be considered
for repatriation.
with consent OF the Swiss govern
ment. there shall be effectually
complementary interment in Switzer
land Of prisoners who we're in cap
tiyity prior to the list of November.
1916. The examination for this pur-
pose shah be conducted by Two com
missions. each composed OF three
Swiss doctors and three doctors of
the captor state. the senior Swiss
medical Officer to have the casting
vote in case the commission is equal
Nv divided In opinion
The classes of prisoners whose
cases arc to be decided upon By these
commissioners are: Prisoners OF war
who have nlready been selected as fit
for interment; and prisoners who, by
mistake or iradyertance have not
had their cases brought before the
travelling commission. or who have
been unable to appear before 1t
None OF these prisoners shall be fin
ally rejected al tho FIRST examination.
All those not selected for repatriation
or interment shall be transferred to
on observation camp, and their cases
shall be considered again by the com
mission after an interval Of four