Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-23
GERMAN CAPT|VES
ARE WELL TREATED
Involuntary Guests of French Re-
public Seem Content and
Satisfied.
HOUSED IN OLD MONASTERY
Food Good and Plentiful, and
They Have Many
Comforts.
HOUSED IN OLD MONASTERY
ny GEORGE DUFRESNE.

! of course, with three or four Paris
correspondents of large and influential
papers in neutral countries, who
! Travelled from Paris through wooded
and hilly country to the junction of the
two small Rivers Meu and Garun,
| where lies the romantic little town of
Montfort. twenty-five kilometers from
Rennes.
| Here. in an old abbey situated in
the midst of the beautiful forest of
Broceliande. a thousand or more Ger
man prisoners of war have found
peaceful asylum until the great fight
! is over.
Shown around by NJ. George Cahen
and Lieutenant Benois,. of the military
| Department of Justice. we were per-
mitted to go everywhere and see
everything, for the French government
| has nothing to conceal. and all the
world is welcome TO know how the
French nation treats its involuntary
| guests.
The buildings of the old abbey date
| back to the eleventh century and
than romantic pile of ruins. But the
massive walls were as good as ever.
and war. which has killed and de-
stroyed SO much in other parts, here
has called back the old monastery to
new life.
PRISONERS SALUTE
THEIR FRENCH GUARDS
After passing through one courtyaru
we came into another. framed by heavy
solid walls. and filled with laughing
and chatting German soldiers. some
still wearing their gray Uniform others
in new duck suits provided by the
French authorities. all occupied with
some kind of work. They greeted us
with friendly smiles. but at the sight
OF the French uniforms worn by our
guides they came to attention and
saluted with their hands. or presented
arms with their brooms or shovels In
the most approved German military
fashion.
This was not done jokingly but in
real earnest which bordered on the
comical especially as they remained
at attention. turning first their head
and then following us with their eyes
until the French officers were out OF
sight.
We passed through building
scrupulously clean ball, where scores
of mattresses lay lined up along the.
walls. At the side of each was a small
table and n cabinet and on many OF
the tables stood photogra phs. evidently
oil sweethearts or relatives OF the
prisoners in Germany. The private
soldiers are under the control of their
own noncommiss oned officers, who are
responsible for their behavior
From this ddrmitory we came into a
third courtyard where number of
prisoners were occupied in breaking
stones under the command OF a SER
geant. an Alsacian, theoretically pris-
oner. because he had served in the Ger
man army, but thoroughly French at
heart and very popular among the men.
In large shed were the kitchen
where a number of cooks, also pris-
oners. were busy making Eoulash the
staple diet Of the German soldier a
very highly spiced beef stew Each
prisoner gets ration of $50 grams,
$50 grams of bread of a quality not
TO be had anywhere in Germany now.
and one killo OF vegetables. In the
morning each man gets sixteen grams
of coffee and twenty-one grams OF
sugar.
The large gardens OF the old mon
astery were all being used for growing
vegetables. and in the windows OF the
| building facing these gardens hang
| frankfurters'' or other sausages, pres
ents from friends OF the prisoners in
their native country. ~
We followed our guides through the
various Offices and workshops, tailor
shop. shoemaker shops, etc. where the
prisoners were working at their regu-
lar trades They work six hours and
a half a day and receive a small cash
payment every week which they may
spend as they please. They are very
easily managed. and there have been
practically no cases OF disorderly con-
duct.
PERFECTLY SATISFIED
WITH THEIR TREATMENT
talked to several prisoners during
the midday hour of rest. and all OF
them expressed themselves as perfectly
satisfied with the way in which they
were treated.
Far better than some OF us have
deserved. I am afraid" said student
OF the University of Bonn. who spoke
French fucntly and English fairly
Well
The prisoners lack nothing essential.
clean linen and new clothes are given
them whenever they need IL. a special
newspaper for German prisoners pub
lished in Paris is distributed among
them but none OF the ordinary Paris
papers. whose often very violent Lam
graSe against the Germans might hurt
their feelings. The paper which they
get contains all official communicates.
and no attempt is made to hide the
truth from them 49,
The hygienic conditions are excellent.
the drinking water is pure and abundsp
ant. better even than the water used,
by the inhabitants OF the town of MOST
fort itself.