"GIVE'US BACK OUR MEN."

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1628, 3 May 1919, Page 10

"GIVE'US BACK OUR MEN."

ERZBERGER PLEADS FOR , • PRISONERS. " BARBAROUS " ALLIES WON'T LISTEN. "Barbarism was the cry of Dr Mathias Erzberger in air impassioned plea in the course of one of the Armistice sessions at Treves, the text of which has just been published here. The charge was made by the chairman of the. German Armistice Commission in connection with the detention by. the Allies of the German prisoners and publication of his speech was the most sensational news so far printed in connection with the negotiations. Dr Erzberger addressed himself personally to Marshal Foch. He saidr—

Mr Marshal: 'Our nation has the impression that the delays in the Armistice renewals have only the purpose to impose upon us ' new grave conditions and to anticipate peace. Thus, the Armistice becomes a source of suspicion, of national hatred, yea, of despair. ,•, But,by such procedure the Allies are opening the way for Bolshevism German people, however, is endeavouring to avert it. i The German nation has had to purchase the Armistice and its renewals at the cost of tremendous sacrifices.' Germany has done all in her power to fulfil the pledges growing-put' of the agreements. . . The German protest against England's failure to fulfill the Armistice clauses—for England made no attempt to intern surrendered German warships in neutral ports—has , not been answered thus far.

Indignation and Despair.

Germany is making the most strenuous efforts to prove loyally that she will, bring the heaviest sacrifices to the: Peace, negotiations. The deeper is my. regret, therefore, that I am obliged to state again before all the world that the conduct of. the Allied Governments, still is in contravention 'with the spirit of the future peace. Since the beginning of the Armistice negotiations I have demanded again and again that the repatriation of prisoners of war must be a mutual proposition. , . you have used your superiority of might iii forcing us to give up your prisoners, while you are keep- ; ing ours.

There is no point in connection with the Armistice about which the German people are in such feverish excitement as over the prisoner question. A storm- of indignation and despair sweeps through our whole land.

Children cry for their fathers, women for their husbands, aged parents have but a single wish—to see their sons once more before they die.

We have sufficient testimony showing that a great number of our prisoners are nearing physical and mental collapse.

I ask you. whence do you'take the'"''moral right to chase thousands of Germans to their ruin even now? Whence do you take the right, now, when the world wants to build up a peace of justice, when it is said the principle of might is to be eliminated from international life, to keep thousands of men, women and children from their human relationships?

Send Them Back.

Give us back our men. Do it for the sake of the old ones, who, deprived of their "children through the war, bemoan every day after the guns have ceased that delays the return of their beloved. Fulfill, at least, the pledges with ■which "you have awakened and then deceived our hopes. The German people dp not think of resuming wai\' The whole German people demands the early return of all military and'civilian prisoners. Only the English and American Governments have returned a number of seriously wounded. The crumbs are all. Even our requests of an amelioration of the conditions of our prisoners have been rejected. What is the civilised world to say when it hears that not even German clergymen, German physicians or German nurses are permitted to visit the German prisoners? .. History will one day reproach you heavily if you. should intend to let thiS condition continue until a preliminary Peace is concluded. Send us, first, the wounded and the sick, the civilian interned and the military prisoners who have been in enemy lands for more than 18 months, especially the heads of families!

Marshal Foch, you yourself have designated this category as those who inspire most sympathy.