Evening journal., 1915-04-16
GERMAN PRISONERS
ARE WELL TREATED
English Treat CaptiveS as
Kindly as Possible Under
Circumstances
MAKE SANITARY
CONDITIONS GOOD
by CARL c. ACKERMAN.

United Press STAFF Correspondent
BERLIN. April 3-(By Mail to New
York. England, on the whole, treats
the Austro- German prisoners she has
interned. "as good as could be OK
pected under the circumstances, ao-
cording to report made TO United
States Ambassador Gemrd. by John
b Jackson. an American, who visited
English prison camps.
The sanitary conditions in some Of
the British camps were bad, Jackson
reported The British commanders
promised him, he said, that these situ-
atons would be improved
On February L. Jackson reported.
England had interned 26.9O0 Germans
and Austrians These men were con
fined in thirteen detention camps and
on nine ships. Generally speaking,
the food and health of the prisoners
was good. according to the report to
Ambassador Gerard
The Germans complained princi-
pally of the monotonous bill of fare
and of their treatment after arrest,
Jackson reported. Several Germans
brought from South Africa swore they
had been insulted and robbed while
others testified that they owed their
lives to British soldiers who protected
them from mobs in France. while
they were being transferred from the
front to Great Britain.
"The new camps are better than the
ones first used said the report
Lack of organization and prepara-
ton would account for most of the
hardships which prevailed at first
Absolutely nowhere did there seem to
be any wish TO make conditions any
harder or more disagreeable for the
prisoners than was necessary"
On the ship "Royal Edward, Jack
son found 400 Germans. Some of the
prisoners were locked below decks at
night. he said. This caused some
nervousness because Of the fear of
Zeppelin attacks.
In the camp at Stratford. in the east
ern part of London, Jackson declared
the prisoners were permitted TO have
their own government The men
elected a senate the members of
ether prisoners.
AT Dorchester. the German senior
| n-commissioned officers have sepa-
rate rooms. while the men are gener-
ally housed i'm stables. lofts and other
rooms of the barracks" Jackson re-
ported This camp was one of the
most contentcd | visited. A man who
made himself famous by attempting to
escape in a box was there. After two
weeks confinement he was granted
/ the same liberties as other prisoners.
Pictures of the German emperor and
German flags we're hanging in the
rooms"
jackson reported the worst condi-
tions az Queensferry, near Chester.
where 2.2O0 Austro-Germans were in
termed.
"The general atmosphere of this
camp was the most depressing of all
those | visited he reported. Though
the camp had becn occupied about
i five months, but little had been done
TO improve the original conditions.
i The buildings were those of an old
machine shop. The roofs are of glass
I and there arc many leaks. The floors
are of stone and cement and as a
rule the wooden beds arc raised, but
a few inches. There were no spc-
cial accommodation for the better
class prisoners though many had
been allowed to build a kind of tent
n around their beds TO protect them
selves from leaks and draughts. The
n prisoners themselves seemed listless
and not inclined TO make much ef-
fort to improve conditions"
Labor difficulties were given fro
quently by the British authorities as
/, prove conditions at the prison camps
jackson reported.