HC Deb 12 October 1915 vol 74 cc1177-8
16. Mr. BUTCHER

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in view of the fact that, besides perpetrating acts of barbarity in violation of The Hague Convention, the German Government have violated the express provisions of those conventions as to the pay of officer prisoners of war, His Majesty's Government will hold themselves free to pay German officers who are prisoners of war here such sums as may be reasonable; and whether there is any reason, apart from The Hague Convention, why German officers who are prisoners of war here should be paid more than British officers who are prisoners of war in Germany?

Mr. FORSTER

I explained the position to my hon. and learned Friend in answer to his question of 28th September, and I am afraid I have nothing to add to the answer which I then gave.

Mr. BUTCHER

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the latter part of my question, whether there is any reason, apart from The Hague Convention, why German officers who are prisoners of war here should be paid more than British officers who are prisoners of war in Germany?

Mr. FORSTER

I think that The Hague Convention is the consideration which governs all these matters.

Mr. BUTCHER

But is it not the fact that the German Government have violated, not only the general conditions of The Hague Convention, but also the express provisions which govern this matter?

Mr. FORSTER

As I pointed out to my hon. and learned Friend, we have made some reduction in the amount paid to German officer prisoners of war, a reduction which is proportionate to the amount of reduction which the German Government made in regard to our own officer prisoners. I am not prepared to go further.

Mr. BUTCHER

Would it not be better in the interests of our own officers that we should tell the German Government plainly that we will pay their officers as much as they pay ours, and no more?

Mr. FORSTER

I have before pointed out that we regulate our own conduct according to our own ideals. Further than that I should like to remind the hon. and learned Gentleman that he have already tried these methods of retaliation in the case of submarine officers, and I, for one, do not think the result of our efforts in that direction was sufficiently happy to encourage us to attempt it again.