The Government have threatened a definite act of reprisal in
the case of German N.C.O.'s who are pris ners of war. In Germany British N.C.O. prisoners have been brutally ill-treated for refusing to work, in gross violation of the agreement on the subject. The German Government I are therefore been informed that if they refuse to abide by the agreement the British Goverment "will, to their regret, be compelled to adapt their treatment of German
to that accorded to British N.C.O.'s." If there are to be reprisals this is, of course, the least objectionable form. There is no suggestion whatever of causing suffering to innocent persons, but only of withdrawing from them the right to refuse to work. We can only judge of the wisdom of the departure by the results. But we confess that, apart from all other sides of the question, we doubt the efficacy of reprisals. It is a slippery slope on which we set foot, and we have some misgivings.
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