Evening star., 1941-10-07
Prisoner Exchange
Cancelled; British
Denounce Germans
Breach Of Faith Charged
Men Being Disemborked
And Returned to Comp
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 7.--Negotiations
for the wars first exchange of
wounded prisoners between Britain
and Germany collapsed today be-
cause Germany insisted the deal be
on a prisoner-for- prisoner basis
while Britain held out for an ex-
change of all sick and wounded
without regard for numbers.
Britain's War Secretary, Capt. H
D. R. Margesson, charged in the
House of Commons that the nego-
tiations failed because of "a fragrant
breach of faith on the part of the
German government"
He announced that wounded Ger
man prisoners who had been put
aboard two hospital ships at New
haven, poised to leave at any hour
over the week end for their homes
were being disembarked and sent
back to camps.
Quotes Convention Article.
Germany holds several times as
many wounded British prisoners as
there are wounded Germans in Eng
land.
Capt, Margesson, quoting article
68 OF the International Convention
regarding treatment of prisoners of
war, said the exchange should be
without regard to rank or num-
bers." The British, he said, had
planned to exchange approximately
$50 Germans for 1000 Britons
Berlin, agreeing on the reason
for failure Of the deal, gave the
figures as l45O seriously wounded
Britons in German territory COM
pared with only SO wounded Ger
mans in England
Conditions governing the re-
patriation of sick and wounded pris-
oners OF war" Capt Margesson said
ARE clearly stated in article 68 of the
International Convention relative to
the treatment of prisoners of war
which the present German govern
ment recognized as binding upon
them
Discussed Many Months.
proposals for the repatriation
have been under discussion through
protecting power for many months.
but the two governments were un-
able to reach an agreement as to
the route and method.
September l proposal was re-
ceived from the German govern
ment through the Swiss Legation
suggesting that the sick and
wounded should be repatriated
through Channel ports.
This suggestion had been put
forward several months before bv
his majesty's government, but then
was rejected by the German gov
ernment.
The British government - ac-
cepted this proposal, which referred
only to sick and severely wounded
prisoners of war and did not in
clude protected personnel entitled
to be repatriated.
Hope of Repatriation.
The German government as late
as September 20 expressed the hope
repatriation might be begun as soon
as possible after October and
added that they hoped it might be
possible eventually to include re-
patriation of sick and over-age in
ternes, but stated quite definitely
they had no intention of making
the repatriation of wounded prison.
ers of war conditional upon the re-
patrlation of civilian internes.
AT the same time it was also
stated that, whereas they were send
ing over 1900 British prisoners of
war, we were only sending over $50
or so Germans, and they expressed
hope the British government would
consider again its action such as
would justify adoption of recep-
tive attitude to any proposal which
might follow for the exchange of
civilians.
Yesterday morning a message
received through the American
Government stated the German
government was now prepared to
agree to a. limited exchange on a
numerical basis.
Sailing COnceled.
Attempts were made yesterday
afternoon to clarity the position
but when it became evident the
German government was attempt
ing at the last moment completely
to overthrow the previously agreed
upon basis for the repatriation
scheme, his majesty's government
found it necessary to cancel the
sailing of the (hospitaD ships.
1.-THE sick and wounded are beine
(See PRISONERS, Page A-6.)