Thousands of Prisoners Of War May Starve

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 44, 21 February 1945, Page 4

Thousands of Prisoners Of War May Starve

COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF ALL GERMAN TRANSPORT Received Tuesday, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 20. Scores of thousands of Allied prisoners of war in Germany will starve unless the Allies act immediately, says the Daily Mail’s Geneva correspondent. The Allies must release at once to the International Red Cross enough petrol and lorries to enable supplies to be taken to the prisoners. The breakdown of all transport in Germany and the chaos caused by the mounting Allied pressure from the east and west have deprived prisoners of all parcels from their Governments or relatives. Comforts, medical supplies and clothing have all ceased to arrive. These parcels, which used to mean the difference between a tolerable and an insupportable existence, are now more than ever necessary. Some prisoners are no longer receiving the rations guaranteed them by the International Convention. The situation of the Allied prisoners is not the result of German policy. Because of the successful Allied bombings and the rapidity of the Allied advances the situation is now out of control, even hy the Gestapo. The correspondent adds that more than 1000 tons of personally addressed Red Cross parcels are lying at the Basle post office because the Germans are unable to accept or distribute them. Vast quantities of stores are blocked- in the International Red Cross depots in Lubeck to which by agreement between the belligerests they were recently consigned. About 100,000 tons of stores worth about £36,000,000 are lying in huge hangars in Switzerland because the . Germans cannot take delivery. In Geneva alone are lying enough parcels to fill 700 railway trucks. Since December 15 only three railway trucks have arrived from Germany to fetch parcels.