“PAROLED BY ENEMY RAIDER”
Many of the British captives held by Nazi raiders In the Pacific Avere required to give a pledge that they would not participate in the Avar or proceed to se; again after they were released. In this article, Mr L. H. Roberts, of Sydney, tells what happens Avhen paroles are granted under these circumstances. The giving of parole in the case of prisoner's of Avai’ is one of the recognised usages of Avar. But it is doubtful if such a parole is binding, taking even the most scrupulous note of international law. British seamen avlxo had been prisoners aboard the pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee, for instance, Avere x’eleased on Uruguayan soil after they had sigixed paper’s promising not to go to sea again fox’ the dux ation of the war. They thus “Gave their parole.” In international law, parole is the pledge of honour of a prisoner of Avar to observe conditions imposed by his captor, if allowed his liberty. But in all such, cases the conditions must be reasonable, Avhile Arai'tous other considerations must be taken into account. In the case of the prisoners of the Admiral Graf Spee, it/ has been argued that the German commander did not “give” liberty, but rather that he Avas compelled to let prisoners go through the exigencies of war. The Law of Reprisals In any case, had the vessel been interned the captive captains Avould have been under the protection of the Uruguayan authorities. Moreover, the captives were noncombatants axxd the demand that they could not go to sea agaixx for a specified poriod might be calculated to debar them froxxx the right to earix a living. International law also takes ixote of the “laAv of reprisals.”
Considering that Germany has again and again brokexx ixxternatioxxal IaAV in the most violent and treacherous fashion, it Avould be in accordance with the law of reprisals to allow the prisoners to break their pax'ole.
Fix the ordinary course of eA r ents any prisoner of Avar avlxo is liberated oxx parole axxd breaks that parole forfeits his right to be treated as a prisoner of Avar if recaptured and oaxx be tided before the Courts and punished. In the early Aveeks of the Avar a subxxxarixxe commander allOAved a number of merchant seaixxen to go after they had signed a promise xxot to go to sea agaixl, addixxg that if they were subsequently found aboard axxy ship “it Avould be the Avox’se for them.” Told To Go Back To Enemy A case of broken parole occurred when an airman who had descended in Iceland Avas allOAved his liberty in the island after promising not to escape. Uixfortunately, some misunderstanding arose and he Abav back to England Avith his machine. With puxxctxiious regard for the given word the authorities ordered him after axx inquiry, to return to Icelaxxd axxd to remain there for the rest of the Avar. Owing to language difficulties mis-’ takes of this kind have occured before, but it has been the invariable rule <sf the British authorities to insist on parole being strictly regard ed. If a Government is dissatisfied with the conditions of the parole given to any ot its nationals aa no have beexx released, it caxx order them to return and surrender themselves agaixx to the eixenxy. Thus, if a prisoner Avere released on condition that he did some act Avhich his authorities might consider detrimental to their interests, he could escape having to fulfil the conditions of release by returning to imprisonment.
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Bibliographic details
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13244, 21 January 1941, Page 8
Word Count
589“PAROLED BY ENEMY RAIDER” Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13244, 21 January 1941, Page 8
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