New-York tribune., 1918-10-31
English Captives Treated
Worst of All Allies
by Germans
Cruelties Exposed
By Sir George Cave
lnternment of U-Boats or
Surrender To Be Mini
mum Demand

LONDON, Oct 30-That the inn
mediate release of all British prisoners
will be insisted upon by the govern
ment as part of the armistice terms is
confidently expected here. Sir George
Cave, the Home Secretary, announced
in the House of Commons yesterday
that the same conditions imposed on
Bulgaria in this matter would be in
sisted upon i'll any truce with Ger
many or Austria, and General Allenby
rad been instructed to follow the same
policy in dealing with the Turks.
There is plenty of evidence that
British prisoners have received worse
others, except the Russians
Such q demand Will be very i'm
portant factor and it is not likely that
the other Allies will show less regard
for their nationals who arc suffering
IN German camps. Events since the
German peace oVcrturcS were launched
have not tended to instill any spirit of
conciliation, forgiveness or leniency
toward the enemy in British breasts.
Must Intern U-Boats
The general nature of the military
guarantees which the Allies will re-
quirc has been outlined as the occupa-
ton of strategica! German bases, as
we'll as the retirement of the German
army to is own soil Maritime guar
antees are considered equally important
TO Great Britain. Their nature thus
far is only speculative. but the intern
4
the surrender of the whole feet, ap-
pears to be the minimum terms which
would satisfy the British people. The
sea is as important as the land to this
island nation, and tho only detail in
Presi ident Wilson's fourteen points on
which there is constant questioning is
what the President means by "freedom
of the seas"
The sinking of the Lcinster followed
close on the German note. The evacu-
alton OF Belgian and French towns,
tor years under German rule, has
opened what has heretofore been
largely a sealed book of rumors, and
authentic stories from truthful people
OF German barbarities toward the in
habitants have been flowing out.
Have Selves TO Blame.
Finally, yesterdays discussions in
the House of Commons of the treat
ment of British prisoners appears TO
have been about the last straw break
ing the back OF British patience Pa
tence which the country generally
seems now to think has been carried
much too far. The Germans have only
themselves to blame that these rovela-
lions came at d time so unfortunate
Tor German interests.
The topic was forced upon the Houeo
by strong public demand for light
upon the circumstances of what is
termed German blackmail in refusing
to ratlty an agreement drawn up for
an equitable exchange of prisoners
unless the British consented to 60
outside that subject and give yuaran
tees against the deportation Of Ger
mans from China.
captain Craig, d member of the
House and himself an EXCHANGED nris-
oner, told with emotion OF his eynerj-
ences and the sights he mad seen in
prison camps.
Authentic Details Given
Sir George Cave, the Home Secrc-
tary, gave authentic details of whole
sale deaths Of British soldiers. kent
ragged, starving and verminous and
compelled to work long hours in salt
MINES and under fire at the front
contrary to the rules of The Hague
convention, beaten and tortured and
shot for petty or no offences.
Old Parliamentary reporters say
that they never have seen such BIT
ter and strong feeling pervadc tho
rouse OF commons, and the same feel
ing mas injected the whole country.
ne only group of members who
held aloof was a handful of pacifists
who appear to object to any unpleas-
ant words about Germany more than
they object to the war.
germany has flagrantly broken the
rules of international law in her treat-
ment of British prisoners of war. de
clared Sir George Cave, the British
Home Secretary, in discussing the
question OF prisoners of war in the
mouse or Commons yesterday. Some
OIL ,he German lnternment camps, he
sald, We're reasonably we'll organized
but there were other camns where
condltionS were almost unspeakable
and where inhumane treatment almost
past belief went on.
British Prisoners Tortured
Working parties of British prisoners
were beaten tortured and made to work
when they were i'll, he said. Evervthino
was done to break their spirit, but. sir
George added, the enemy had failed in
most cases.
Sir George believed that if any arms.
tlcc with either Germany or Austria.
Hungary was reached the government
would take steps to see that one of the
primary conditions would be that all
prisoners of war in enemy countries
should be Immediately and uncondition-
ally released He added:
ut will do no good to talk to the
people who do these things. We have
got to take them by the neck and the
throat if we can and punish them SO
that it will be an example for genera
tions TO come"
The speaker said that he held re-
ports which could not be read to the
house because of the character Of the
atrocities. In one camp since Novem-
Der, 1916. more than 1000 prisoners
of all nations had died