BLACK LIST

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1922, Page 7

BLACK LIST

ISSUED BY GERMANS.

Just at present one of the many vital questions is whether Germany, since her defeat, has undergone a change of spirit, and may, therefore, be trusted in the future. There are those who argue that any repentance shown by some Germans is purely superficial, and that underlying it is a spirit of revenge. To these latter a recent communication received in New Zealand will come as a support for their argument (says the Wellington Post ). This is a German paper called “The German Black List,” which was addressed to ‘‘The Minister of Defence,” and, as to this is added “Sir James Allen, personally,” it is taken that it has been sent by a former prisoner of war in New Zealand, Included in this black list of English “officers, non-commissioned officers and men, surgeons and orderlies, guilty of serious breaches against the rights of humanity,” are the names of three New Zealanders. Just how much value is to be attached to the document is seen when one reads the assured statements made in connection with the treatment of prisoners and internees under the control of these New Zealanders. In the first place, the list contains the names of an official in Samoa for a great part of the war. The list says that the officer “imposed on the German population, at least those who were permitted to remain in that territory, indignities of all kinds, particularly those which were ca! culated to humiliate Germans in the eyes of the native population. Every real or alleged breach of regulations was punished heavily with rough military justice. Punishable offences by New Zealand soldiers against Germans, plundering, robberies, and assaults against men and women, WCle therefore not complained of.” The paper attempts to create the impression that the internment camp at Apia was a second Black Hole of Calcutta, and adds that “the accused revenged himself upon the interned for each victory of the German troops, and for each alleged story of German outrage. When he learned thathad been taken prisoner, and was interned in Bavaria, he released several Bavarians from the Apia internment

camp.” r , The picture given of another New Zealand officer, who was at Somes Island internment camp, will appeal as equally absurd to those who know him. The Black list claims that “he gave vent to his outspoken hatred of the Germans by all sorts of brutalities on the prisoners. There is not the slightest doubt about the systematic bad treatment and ciue’ty, in W hi c h often played an active part,

and which were carried out by others with his full knowledge and sanction.” Apparently the writer felt that it was every German prisoner’s right to expect a chance to escape, for, after going further into the

“horrors” of the life, he adds: “Tinsyearlong continued treatment, combined with small and bad rations and other chicanery, could only result in a heavy death rate and in physical and mental diseases, and a loss of hope of the possibility of escape. This section of the paper a iso refers inmust be far fewer than those included in cidentally to a. non-commissioned officer.

That the Black List is to be used f,r propaganda purposes is indicated in an announcement that, following the list of ' English names, there will appear, lue ' First Black List of French offenders, new ’ a l so prepared in German, French, ami ’ English. Highly recommended for widespread publication abioad. The copy from which the extracts have i been made states that one million cop « * have already been circulated.