The Admiralty's announcement, "that it does not feel justified in extending honourable treatment to ers and crew of the German submarine U. 8 as, probably, they were guilty of attacking and sinking unarmed merchantmen," cannot but meet with the approval. of all Britons. We may and do sympathy ize with these prisoners. German naval men have earned a fair _reputation for honourable dealing and the respect of those who have come in contact. In destroying merchantmen they only act under orders, which we may be sure the; greatly dislike. Unfprtunately we have rather to consider the orders than the indly: Germany hay committed an outrageous and un-may be continued with German firms in China which are not branches of firms in Germany, his statement does not conflict with the King's Regulations.
cannot, however, be sure. that he did mean this, If the words "'or branches" are to be taken as implying " right 10 trade with firms i oon behalf of, or in connexion with, head offices in Germany the President of the Board of Trade is allowing a liberty which the King has expressly forbidden. Moreover, the British Government some time ago declared undesirable even trade with G many firms established in China and doing business without any home—connex Telegraphic summaries of statements in the House are rarely sufficiently full allow of confident deductions, especially when the statements made are answers to questions, of the wording of which we are left in ignorance. We shall have to wait, accordingly, for fuller information before we can feel sure what Mr.
Runciman really meant to imply. As it stands, his statement far from satisfactory.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.