NOTHING
TO
BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.
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Minules.
186
them in fortresses or places assigned for this
purpose.
"It shall decide whether officers may be
left at liberty on giving their parole not to
leave the neutral territory without permission.
"Art. 12. In the absence of a special Conven-
tion, the neutral Power shall supply the
interned with the food, clothing, and relief
which the dictates of humanity prescribe.
"At the conclusion of peace the expenses
caused by the internment shall be made good."
no sxpuse provision,
From this it can be seen that there is nothing
in international law to prevent a neutral Power
from employing interned soldiers provided that they
are furnished with food, clothing etc. The obli-
gation is to make sure that they shall not escape
or otherwise carry on activities which might com-
promise the neutrality of the State concerned or
assist their own side in the war.
The position with regard to prisoners of war
taken by a belligerent is somewhat different and is
governed by the Geneva Convention Relative to the
Treatment of Prisoners of War, 1929. The relevant
Articles are Articles 27 to 32, the broad effect
of which is that a captor may employ prisoners as
workmen according to their rank and ability but
must assume entire responsibility for their main-
tenance, care, treatment and the payment of wages.
It seems to me, therefore, that, as against
the Japanese, we are perfectly entitled to employ
these Chinese soldiers in Malaya or elsewhere
provided that we keep an adequate supervision over
them and do not allow them to escape.
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Hague/
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