The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-04-29
Prisoner Of War Rations

IIlSOllCT vi w dI Va llO1lo
In view of what has been revealed of the
ill treatment of American prisoners of war
in Germany, rations issued to German pris-
oners of war in this country have come in
for severe criticism and, we must insist, just
ly despite the Geneva Conference and its
benign provisions.
It may be that German prisoners have not
been fed as lavishly as some have claimed,
Lut considering the slop set before or own
better than they deserved whatever it was.
This we say without reservation and with
due respect for the War Department.
However, in fairness to the War Depart
ment it must be said that on March an
order was issued to bring prisoner Of war
rations into line with foods available for CT
william buyers. Mention was made in these
columns of this order at the time it was
issued, Bat as much criticism has been lev
eled at these ratons since, it is in the inter-
est of justice to repeat the order itself here.
It was issued ''By order of the Secretary of
War; bears the signature of General George
C. Marshall Chief of Staff and says:
a. Confirmed reports indicate that the
meat supply and other food reserves now on
hand are rapidly being exhausted by the in
creased demands Of armed forces. CT
villains, schools, and other installations in the
continental United States have been directed
IF tim
in order to build up food reserves A similar
food conservation program has been adopted
for prisoner of war installations in the con-
tinental United States. All personnel con-
cerned with prisoners of war outside the con-
tinental United States will cooperate with this
program of food conservation and make every
effort to substitute on prisoner Of war menus
food items which are easily obtainable and
not in short supply in lieu of those items of
food in which critical shortages exist.
%. Article II of the Geneva Convention
requires that the food ration of prisoners of
war shall be equal in quantity and quality
to that Of troops at base camps. This means
that the ration furnished prisoners of war
WILL nave the same nutr1tlOnal VAlue as the
| ration furnished troops at base camps. This
| does NOT mean that identical items will be
| furnished. The provisions of the Geneva Con-
vention are satisfied when the ration fur
nished prisoners of war is equal in nutritional
quantity and quality to the ration provided
for troops at base camps.
| 80. Immediate steps will be taken to ac-
complish the substitution on prisoner of war
menus Of foods of which there is an adequate
supply for foods which in short supply.
These substitutons will extend not only to
meats but to all canned fruits and vegetables,
| fruit preserves. jellies, and all other food
| items which are critically short The Quar-
| termaster General will keep the theater corn
manders informed of foods which are in short
supply.
Il. Prisoner Of war menus will be reor-
gained and rearranged so that minimum
number Of items in short supply will be used.
Necessary steps will also be taken to accom-
plish stricter supervision Of prisoner of war
camp kitchens in order to achieve the maxi
NUN in food saving and to eliminate from
diets Of prisoners OF war items on the short
age list. The reorganized diet will meet the
minimum requirements Of the Geneva Con-
vention in accordance with paragraph and
will achieve as great a saving as possible
in FOODS"