On Thursday week the German submarine '178 ' was sunk
off Dover by destroyers. The twenty-nine officers and men were taken prisoners. Subsequently the Admiralty announced that they did not feel justified in according honourable treat- ment to these prisoners. It was pointed out that whereas the British Navy had saved more than a thousand German officers and men at sea, no such treatment has ever been shown to British sailors in distress. Hitherto German naval prisoners have been treated with every courtesy, and the crew of the 'Emden' were granted the honours of war. But the prisoners from the 'D8' belonged to a vessel which is under suspioion of having sunk unarmed merchantmen and fired torpedoes at ships carrying non...combatants, neutrals, and women. For example, the steamship ' Oriole' is missing, and it is believed that she was sunk with her whole crew of twenty at the beginning of February. Although definite proof that the crew of the 'US' are guilty of murder may not be obtained till the end of the war, the Admiralty cannot allow persons against whom suck charges are pending to enjoy the distinc- tion of their rank or to mingle with other prisoners of war. There is a good deal to be said for this view, but does it make proper allowance for the fact that tho officers and men of the German submarines are only obeying orders—orders about which it is impossible for them to argue ? We confess to being somewhat puzzled by the problem. No harm, however, will be done by the denial of military honours. There is no suggestion of reprisals in the refusal of a compliment. The whole matter is discussed by us elsewhere.
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