In the House of Lords on Tuesday Lord Devonport, Lord
Desart, and Lord Oranmore asked questions about the policy of the Govern- ment as to prisoners of war. All of them were careful to pay a thoroughly well-deserved tribute to the efforts of Lord Newton in the past on behalf of the prisoners in most difficult circum- stances. Lord Desert declared that it was no exaggeration to say that Lord Newton had " devoted his whole time and thought to the matter." We believe that to be absolutely true. Lord Newton described the nature of the Franco-German arrangement for the wholesale exchange of prisoners, and said that the Govern- ment hoped speedily to enter into negotiations with Germany at the Hague with a similar end in view. The German Government had stated that there were several questions of " acute difficulty " which they wished to discuss if there were a meeting at the Hague. The Government, as Lord Newton announced, have consented to discuss these questions on condition that the exchange of private soldiers as well as of officers and non-commissioned officers shall be a subject of negotiation.
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