Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-02-16
DROPS NOBLE TASK
AMERICA CAN'T LONGER KEEP
. WATCH OVER WELFARE OF
PRISONERS OF WAR.
HAS DONE THE WORK WELL
With Prospect of Other Neutrals Fci-
lowing Its Lead, What Nation viii
Guard the Interests of Those Un-
fortunates?
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


Washington the stress of events
accompanying and following the break
Ing off Of diplomatic relations between
the United States and Germany, has
anyone thought of what the severing of
the bonds between the TWO countries
means to hundreds of thousands, per
haps millions of prisoners of war?
1t is within my knowledge that the
German government has been not only
satisfied but gr2titied at the manner in
which the wants of the German pris-
Oners in Great Britail and in France
have been safeguarded by the Ameri-
cans connected with our country,S EN-
bassieS in the two countries whose dG-
ties included the oversight Of the men
taken on the field of battle, later TO
enter the camplike prisons of France
and OF England.
America. until Saturday, had In her
charge the welfare of perhaps mil
lion prisoners. of war in Russia, OF an
other 100000 in France, of 10000 in the
British isles and of hundreds of thou
sands in the German empire.
Not only did the members Of the
American embassies in these countries
keep watch over the welfare of the
prisoners in the permanent camps OF
the different countries, but on occasion
they travelled to the different lighting
fronts there 10 observe the treatment
which was accorded prisoners, newly
taken in battle, while they were on
their guarded way TO the temporary
internment camps at the rear of the
lines.
Who Will Care for Them?
Today all is changed. Diplomatic re-
lations between the United States ana
Germany have been broken and the
United States must give over its allevi-
lting work of seeing to it that humane
| treatment is given to the prisoners
within the territories of the warning
countries. The United States repre-
Sentatives could not interfere but they
could make reports upon conditions
and the knowledge that these reports
we're to be made in many instances
has made The lot of the prisoners easier
20 bear.
1t is believed in Washington that sew
eral of the neutral governments are
likely TO follow the lead of the United
States in severing diplomatic relations
| with Germany If this shall be the
case what is 10 be the fate of the pris-
oners?
1t is perfectly conceivable that with
in a few days or few weeks there
may be no neutral country still having
diplomatic relations with Germany
which has the force, the equipment and
| the temperament to do for the prison
ers of war what kindly Americanism
has done for them.
It is the intention of all countries to
| be kindly 10 prisoners of war, but meth
DDS are different and on occasion the
| equation Of the individual enters into
the matter and unless there be con-
slant vigil, abuses may prevail.
Must Be Friendly With All.
The oversight of the prisoners in
nearly all the warning countries must
he given into the hands of some neu-
trail nation which still has diplomatic
relations with Germany. The thing
works both ways. \ country may be
in full diplomatic intercourse with the
allies and yet not with Germany, or in
full accord with Germany but not with
the allies. The embassy which has
charge of the prisoners must be in
friendly diplomatic relations with all
the warning countries.
Germany may turn over the care of.
her prisoners to a nation which is in
diplomatic intercourse with her today
but which may not be tomorrow. There
may be "A succession of breakings away
from diplomatic ties within Il short
time. It will be difficult for the war
ring countries to arrange permanently
for the care of the lives and the health
of their prisoners in hand.
Conditions in Washington.
Washington in a war scare time
is perhaps the most human interest
ing place on this continent The
fact that attempts are made to
suppress excitement in White House,
state department, capitol and on the
streets makes the situation even the
more pulsing.
There is nothing like tenseness 70,
accentuate the evident gravity and
tragedy of things. On the day that the
German note came declaring that sub
marine warfare would go on after
manner of conduct decided upon by