§ 1. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office has received official information that a large number of British prisoners of war have been sent to work in Russian Poland as a measure of retaliation for the treatment received by German prisoners working at British camps in France; whether favourable reports upon these camps have been received from the American Embassy in Paris; and whether the refusal by the State Department at Washington to allow them to be published prolongs the period of hardship which British prisoners are being compelled to undergo?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord Robert Cecil)A large number of British prisoners of war have been sent to work in Russian territory in German occupation. With regard to the second part of the question, I regret to state that the German Government have so far refused to allow the United States Embassy at Berlin to visit these prisoners; there are, therefore, no reports to publish. A report on the camp at Rouen, where German prisoners of war are employed, was published in the Press on the 11th August. It is most unsatisfactory that the German Government have not the common fairness to allow United States inspection of British prisoners working in Poland, as we have from the beginning allowed and invited inspection of German prisoners taken by us but working in France. It is to be hoped that one result of the War will be to make them understand that ill-treatment of prisoners is disadvantageous to themselves.
§ Mr. G. FABERHow are we to make them understand?
§ Lord R. CECILWe must wait until the end of the War.
§ Mr. MALCOLMIs there not at least one other camp to which German prisoners are sent in France, and are we going to have a report upon them?
§ Lord R. CECILI am afraid I must ask for notice of that question.
§ Mr. MALCOLMCan the right hon. Gentleman say why the Library did not get a copy of the report published in the Press last Thursday?
§ Lord R. CECILI will inquire.