New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-13
tspecn Correspondence q IN. Tribune

Isle Of Man, whore five mutinous and
riotous German prisoners. held by the
British government were killed and
several others wounded, has brought
sharply to the fore the whole problem
Of OBTAINING civilians belonging to
enemy countries.
England has approximately 1900
such prisoners, as well as 1000 sol
diers and sailors. There have already
been charges in Germany that the pris-
oners In England have been subjected
to gross ill-treatment. These charges
have been found without foundation by
officials Of the American Embassy, two
of whom-Chandler Anderson and
Chandler Hsle--went to Berlin and
Vienna, respectively, to inform the
German and Austrian governments that
the German prisoners were in reality
being we'll treated. II is now feared
that the riot at the Isle Of Man. with
such deplorable results, will only con-
firm the belief existing In Germany and
Austria that prisoners here are being
subjected 20 bad treatment, and that
there may be reprisals which will cause
suffering among the thousands Of Eng
lish civilians and soldiers detained In
those countries.
With a view 20 Ascertainins the
truth about the care given to alien
prisoners In this country, The Tribune
correspondent visited three Of the con-
centration points last week, viewing
the camps in which were detained
10000 German and Austrian prison
ers, nearly 1000 Of whom were SOL
diers, the rest civilians. Permission
to make this investigation was OBJ
tanned with some difficulty, the War
Office consenting only with the under
standing that The Tribune correspond
ent would be the only American news
paper representative to be permitted
to make the inspection.
The three concentration camps were
Olympia, q huge, gloomy, cold struct-
ure-London's Madison Square Garden
where the horse shows, the military
tournaments, big prizefghts and BIZ
cycle races are held; Frimley, an
hours ride from London, not far from
Aldershot, the great military centre
a tented city on q high plain, where
each degree of cold attains maxi
mum of efficiency, with 5000 civilians
behind barbed wire entanglements re-
puted TO be charged with electricity,
and Newbury, in Berkshire, where, on
the Newbury racecourse, there are
1900 prisoners-1,800 in tents and
1920 living in the stables, all civil
ians. except about $50 soldiers and
sailors.
Beginning Of Winter.
Last week was the beginning Of win
ter. so far as weather was concerned,
and the prisoners were cold and shiver-
ing. but, on the whole, they were pretty
we'll off, although looking forward TO
the time when they would be moved
out of their tents and into permanent
quarters of some kind or other. That
process is now going on, and In an
other week or ten days no alien prs
oners will be under canvas. Many are
going to the Isle of Man. Some thou
sands are to be put aboard nine mer,
chant steamers lying at the dlneren'
ports. In these ships the prisoners
should be comfortable and, parucu'
/ larly, warm. ~ A.
prisoners In these camps there u
scarcely a thoroughly contented anc
happy soul, unless he be some destitutt
vagabond who would starve In th'
streets if he were not being cared Ioi
| in the camps. Perhaps, too, there ar
soldiers who prefer the camps 10 lh'
trenches in Belgium. There ~ aiscoh
tent and discomfort, but, conslueIihs
the circumstances and the enormlty 0,
the problem o. suddenly caring To-
| $4,000, the British government sppea'
10 have done very well.
The food furnished 10 ample Ane
clean. and the health OF the prisoner
is excellent. There is no truth III tn'
German charges of forty-six pfisDoineI
diving from lack of attention lheI'
is constant medical attendance, ana th'
soldier and sailor prisoners AT Trim
lev have their own doctors, captured
with them in the field. The PROOF o.
the effort of the British government
to treat the prisoners well is that u
food and accommodations the prison
ers are given as much as, and IN many
instances more than, the brlusn e1i
diers who guard them. PRISONERS ~n n'
have money are permitted to buy deli
cacies and any sort of food they want
There IA canteen in each camp, wher'
additional supplies may be had, a
prices fixed by the commandants. Int
profts from the canteens are spent OF
the prisoners themselves. under the su
pervision Of the commandant, who con
suits with a committee selected by. tn
prisoners. Visitors are permitted
certain times in all camps. and the.
may bring in what they Ike, exeep
alcoholic drinks and newspapers. -
The War Office has tried to indue
all prisoners TO take an anti-typhoi
fever prophylsctic, but in many case
the more ignorant prisoners have re
fnsed 10 do so. They feared poisoning
Al Frimley, however, every prlsone
was inoculated. All fears were over
come by the German military doctors
Who administered the serum TO thel
countrymen and TO the Austrians.
Olympia q Clearing House.
Olympia, vast, and on a dull after
noon dark and gloomy, lighted by
/ few arc lamps, Is a sort OF clearinl
house for alien enemies: When the'
are rounded up by the police in Londol
on charges Of being possibly dangerou
10 the state they are sent to Olympia
and from there to the various camp
throughout the country. Last weei
there were / 300 prisoners there.Ger
mans and Austrians, Czechs and Poles
I Jews and Christians. Some were mei