§ 3. Major ASTORasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what different forms of work British prisoners of war in Germany are being employed; and what rations and rates of pay they are getting?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord Robert Cecil)It appears from information received from official sources that British prisoners of war in Germany are or have been employed in mines, smelting and casting machine shops, stone quarries, agricultural work, construction of roads and railways, barracks, unloading coal and stones, tailoring, slaughter-houses, hide curing factories, electric light and gas plants. The pay varies from Mks. 1.50 a day for the skilled work to 30 Pfennigs for unskilled agricultural work. There is no standard ration laid down for prisoners of war employed in the manner indicated above and in this connection I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which is being given to-day to the hon. Member for Faversham by my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for War.
§ Sir E. CARSONWould the Noble Lord, if not now, at some time, inform the House whether German prisoners in this country are employed in similar ways, and what remuneration they get?
§ Lord R. CECILI am afraid the matter does not rest with me, but it is entirely a War Office matter with which I have no concern.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY Of STATE for WAR (Mr. Tennant)There is a question down to-day.
§ 7. Major WHELERasked what are the daily amounts of bread, meat, vegetables, and groceries provided by the German Government for British prisoners of war in Germany?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt appears that there is no stated ration but that commandants are instructed, within limits, to make local purchase of food which shall afford an average of 85.9 grammes of proteid, 43.7 grammes of fat, and 484.5 grammes of carbohydrates, equivalent to 2,762 calorics per day. Taking an average of the foodstuffs which appear to have been purchased, the allowance per day would be approximately 13.8 oz. of bread stuffs, 8.4 oz. of meat, fish or cheese, and 35 oz. of vegetables.
§ Major WHELERAs the rations given are so very much less than the rations we are giving to the German prisoners of war who are receiving ½ lb. of meat per day, 1 lb. of bread, 6 ozs. of flour, 8 ozs. of vegetables, and other groceries, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of reducing the meat rations, especially for those prisoners of war who are doing no work at all?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe rations of the German prisoners here are not, I think, as high as the hon. Gentleman conceives. I do not know if the figures which he gives purport to be the exact figures.
§ Major WHELERThose are the figures upon which we are issuing in the Western command.
§ Mr. TENNANTHalf a pound of meat and a full pound of bread are given in Germany, or very nearly the same—that is, 13.8 as against 16—it is rather over ½ lb. of meat; 35 ozs. of vegetables is a good deal more than is considered necessary for the prisoners here.
§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYWill the right hon. Gentleman give the German prisoners the same amount of rations as the Germans give to the English prisoners?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat would be adopting a policy of reprisals, and I am not aware that the people of this country or the Members of this House would consider it desirable that we should adopt a policy of reprisals. This is a very difficult question.
§ Major ASTORIs the amount told us actually given to the prisoners, or is it, only the scale laid down?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt would be impossible for me to say that in all cases that amount is given in Germany, because we have no means of ascertaining. That is the scale, and I am informed privately, not officially, that it is carried out very generously.
§ Major WHELERIs it not a fact that, in addition to 1 lb. of bread, there is 6 ozs. of flour allowed as well?
§ Mr. TENNANTIn this country?
§ Major WHELERYes, in England.
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot answer that question.
§ 15. Major ASTORasked whether German prisoners of war in this country are being utilised to do any form of work; and, if so, whether he will state the numbers employed and the nature of the work they are engaged upon?
19. Mr. MONTAGUE BARLOWasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state what is the nature of the work, if any, to which enemy prisoners of war in this country are put; whether British prisoners of war and those of the Allies in Germany are put to agricultural and other work of a nature to give economic help to Germany; and whether, in view of the growing scarcity of labour in this country, he can see his way to provide that similar arrangements shall be made for enemy prisoners of war in this country?
§ Mr. TENNANTIn addition to work found for prisoners of war in their camps, such as making mail bags, a number are employed in works of public utility, such as labouring on farms and road making, at several places in the neighbourhood of their camps; and arrangements are now being worked out for their employment on an extensive scale in timber cutting and work in mines; but as such work will take them into districts which are, as a rule, but scantily populated, somewhat extensive preliminary preparations are necessary. Germany has employed her prisoners in the manner stated in the second part of question No. 19. It is hoped to solve shortly the difficulties which have hitherto been found in employing prisoners in small parties (such as are required by farmers) when it is not possible, owing to distance, to accommodate them in camps.
§ Major ASTORCan the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion or percentage of German prisoners are at the present moment being employed?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot answer that question without notice.
§ Mr. ASHLEYCould not German prisoners of war in France be employed to load and unload ships and trains?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat will be considered.
Mr. BARLOWWill every consideration be given to seeing that the German prisoners are used at those points and in those directions where the economic pressure is greatest?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat will certainly be considered.
§ Major ASTORI asked the right hon. Gentleman to give the numbers now being employed?
§ Mr. TENNANTI could not give those numbers without a long inquiry.