ut the opinion
may here be cited of a Swiss doctor who has been occupied in German
hospitals during most of the war:

The writer of these lines never saw anything anywhere that could
be considered as intentional change for the worse in the lot of
prisoners and sick; on the contrary, he was able to ascertain
that the prisoners and the sick are treated in a manner that
could not be more humane. If later on the food was insufficient,
the English must be aware of the reasons which brought about
far-reaching starvation among great circles of the population of
Germany.... From deepest conviction the writer of these lines
affirms that the German people and the German doctors are
[generally] without guilt in the face of the accusations made
against them. Individual exceptions, if proved, could not alter
this judgment.

THE REPATRIATIONS.

There are bad stories of men arriving half-starving at the British and
French lines at the time of the general repatriations. It would require
care and impartiality to sift these. The more experience one gains, the
less one trusts the average newspaper report in war-time. It seems very
probable that, as Erzberger contended, many prisoners made off of their
own accord after the German Revolution, and the straits to which these
men were reduced could scarcely be ascribed to the German authorities.
That there were brutal cases of men being _driven_ away is also quite
probable. As regards the general question of prisoners, Erzberger said:
"If England can now actually prove that English prisoners of war have
been illegally treated, I give my word no guilty person shall go
unpunished. But allow me the counter question, Is it known in enemy
countries how _German_ prisoners of war were frequently treated? I do
not believe that is sufficiently well known. Only listen to our soldiers
who come from France...." (Berlin, Nov., 24, 1918, _Wolff_.) It should
be obvious that both sides must be heard before justice can decide, but
the obvious is the unrecognised in war time. And probably even by the
best and most impartial judgment only very rough generalisations can be
arrived at. One need seems to me paramount, that each side shall become
once more aware of the _good_ in the other. Here, then, are one or two
favourable facts from repatriated men: "We understand that the Germans
could not let us march to the frontier, as we were prepared to do, lest
we sho