§ 12. Mr. WALTER BAKERasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to a complaint by the German Minister for the occupied territories alleging that there had been no reduction in the cases of maltreatment or molestation of the population of the Rhineland by soldiers of the occupying force; whether any charges of maltreatment and molestation against British troops have been substantiated; and whether he will supply figures showing the number of complaints which have been proved to be well founded?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSAs regards the first part of the question, I have seen a copy of the communication to which no doubt the hon. Member refers, which fully recognises the action taken by the occupation authorities to punish any offences proved to have been committed by the troops against the civil population. As regards the second and third parts of the question, there were in 1926, 15 convictions by court-martial on charges such as theft, assault and creating a disturbance, in 1927, 14, and in 1928, up to date, none. It must be remembered that in Germany even trivial cases, which in this country would normally be disposed of by the Civil Courts, are dealt with by court-martial, and having regard to the conditions under which the troops are serving there, the figures do not, I think, show any abnormal incidence of offences of this nature.