New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-17

The plight of the wounded prisoners in
transit IL often so bitter hard that only
a Russian could say "Nitchevo' and
mean II.
Csptives Guido Ananlas.
The stories Of prisoners Of war are Of
value, as a rule, only as indicating a
state Of mind. As information they
amount TO nothing, and correspondent
soon learns to discount them by more
than and then throw aside his
notes.
Sometimes prisoners lie to save their
pr;de. sometimes 20 ingrstate them
selves with their captors by telling
things they think their captors want TO
hear and sometimes just 10 while away
the time. A favorite remark Of eXtenu-
alton by prisoners is:
"Your artillery was too much Tor our
nerves. We could have fought you
hand to hand. but We could not stand
the eternal pounding Of your long range
guns
And again;
I'VE were so hungry We had to let
you take Us. Nothing TO eat Tor Tour
days Hunger beat US
The French. utterly wretched. Given
to CRYING a good deal under the torture
Of their wounds. Not unmanly tears
though. and nobody thought the less OF
them for their weeping. They vept
when an American would have sworn -
and quite as copiously. II was their
way Of letting 60. Few Of the French
prisoners have seen look like men OF
hrst rate physique.
The English. just stunned. "Can this
thing he ." written all over their chap
fallen countenances.
And the Russians AZ least The
marching detachments Of them weary
and forlorn to look a.. but their an
swering expression quite inscrutable
70 the passerby. Few words out Of
them. All these we're privates. very
dirty. very we'll behaved. and a kind Of
resigned "kicN-me-agai way with
them that was extremely pitful.
The German soldiers seem 20 get on
we'll with them, as they DO with the
French. too. The English they don't
like until they get TO know them. For
this preliminary impression the Eng
lish prisoners have to thank their
squawking press and its atrocity yarns.
After few days the Germans and
the English get on better. though the
guards complain that some OF their
+
not the German word for fresh but
answers accurately enough to our slang
use Of the word "fgcsh.'
The truth is that when the two most
tactless and most arrogant races on the
face Of the earth come into enforced
contact trouble is inevitable.
Stupidity Of Prisoners Noticeable.
The most curious thing about pris-
ouers 7 have noticed is their stupidity
During the first hours following their
B capture clever men are dense and ire
/ sponsive and dull men seem 20 lose
what sense the Lord gave them.
Some say this Is the consequence OF
nervous reaction after battle, and some
; that Il is sheer dog WEAKNESS after
long sleepless hours in the trenches
French soldiers have been found asleep
i in captured trenches, and once when
met a German officer in command OF a
train that was crawling out of North
ern France toward Germany with car
+ loads of French prisoners | asked him
whether ais charges made him any
trouble.
Trouble ." he said. why, the poo
fellows have been asleep for two solid
days. They can hardly rouse them
selves 10 cat
This in spite Of the fact that the mcr
had had little to cat for ten days.
Almost always the prisoners OF al
rationalities seem quite helpless have
to be ordered about like children and
respond 10 orders not so much like
children as like the heavy hoofcd
Flanders truck horses slowly, awk-
wardly and unintelligently.
Fall in by fours.' a German officer
who spoke English clearly, shouted to a
batch of English prisoners one night al
Beaumont.
No response. Not a flicker Of com
prehenson on any of the weary faces
Fall in by fours," the officer re-
pested.
Still not 8 move, nor any s. gn that
IN words had even been heard.
Fall in by fours," the officer shouted
for the third time. and then, there still
being no sign OF response, he blew up
well. | cannot give you an invita-
ton he said. Isn't my order plair
CROUCH >"
At this an English soldier who
seemed to have come from a higher
walk than most of his comrades quiz
cred into comprehension, muttereC
This way, lads" and showed two or
three men near him into the line.
The column began TO give gns OF in.
I tellgcnce, got itself into shape, and
stumbled forlornly away into the dark,
as sulky and wretched lot Of Britons
4. bad luck and bad food could COM
bine TO produce.
Frenchmen Soon Grow CHEEKY.
French prisoners have the advantage
OF their English comrades in that,
thanks TO their temperament, they soon
, cheer up. A little thing makes them
Z laugh. and IN their circumstances a
little laughter goes long way.
Once the strange tumble OF contrasts
and ironies which war creates offered
an irresistible temptation to droll
and satirical officer who, in civil life
is the widely known DR.. Lieveu, OF
Aachen.
One night he had TO 90 from com.
partment 20 compartment OF a train
filed with prisoners. Ono first class
carriage contained British officers