PRISONERS IN WAR ZONE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16037, 23 January 1918, Page 5

PRISONERS IN WAR ZONE.

DELIBERATE GERMAN LIES. Describing the operations on the Cambrai front, the correspondent of the London Times wrote One of the .curious minor fruits of onr recent victory is one more to be.added ~0 the already innumerable proofs of the utter worthlessness of any German, promises or agreements. Among the prisoners, or people who came-into our lines, are two Russian prisoners. There is a solemn undertaking, with Germany’s pledged word, that prisoners of war shall not be employed within, 30 kilometres—nearly 19 miles—of the front line. Then, how did these Russians-get to us ? First, they were farther away. Then they were brought to Cambrai. and there they saw some 300 or 400 British prisoners, and Cambrai is about eight miles from the front lines, as it then existed. These Russians were sent on to Fontaine, That was only 9000 yards behind, and there they worked for over eight months. Then they came to Annenx, and that was barely 7000 yards from the lines. When we suddenly broke through the Hindenburg line and romped across the country it ceased to be behind the line at nil, and so the Russians fell into our hands. There, is no need of argument or proof. We got to Anneux, and tho Russian .prisoners were there. Presumably the matter can be taken, up through diplomatic channels, but it is more immediately important that the world should once again be told, where there is no possibility of evasion, that the German authorities are official and delibeiate liars, to whom agreements and promises mean nothing.