El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-02
FRANCE TREATS CAPTIVES WELL

and a half OF bread. two pounds and
six ounces Of vegeta bles, a quarter
OF pound of meat and u grams of
coffee, the latter mixed At the re-
quest Of the prisoners with barley,
because pure coffee is too strong for
them.
These rations are the same as those
given the French soldiers except as
TO the quantity Of meat, which is re-
dUced from a half pound to quarter
of a pound. in retaliation for the
measures which are said to be applied
70 French prisoners in GERMANY
We are well cared for We do
only six hours work a day, are well
fed and are treated with consideration
by the French officers and soldiers"
+. ROudholz, of Constance, a 20 year
old private Of the 142d regiment Of
infantry, said in a signed statement
to the Associated Press. He is a pris-
Oner at Issoudan-
Believe Nothing in Papers.
The 600 prisoners at Tours are
housed less comfortably than those at
IssoUdan, but as well as are the French
soldiers Recent arrivals in this camp
are said 70 be more depressed than
those who preceded them, but nothing
can convince them that the Germans
are not bound TO win and none Of
them seem TO believe anything that
appears in the prisoners newspaper
which IS being published in German
for their benefit
We know all about that. We have
the same thing on the other side. 1t
is the kOmmandatur who does all
that" they say.
PrIvates Arc DOeiIe.
The privates naturally are docile
and the officers are compelled to be
so after having given trouble at
Mountaban. The officers seem de-
pressed and less naughty since the
New Year, their hopes Of being able
to celebrate Christmas at home being
disappointed.
Hard Times At Home.
The news received by the prisoners
from home is said TO have changed in
tone in the last two months.
The letters, it is declared. talk Of
hard times, but still insist on a vic
tory for Germany in the end. Off
GERS at the camp say that packages
containing sausages, preserves, to
bacco, condensed soup, cakes, soap and
many other articles came on an aver
age OF one for each man each week
Tor the first six months of the war,
but that now they are arriving much
less frequently. The receipts Of money
are also less frequent. Where pre-
Vlously they distributed 1000 francs
each week, the officers declared they
now distribute only 1000.
Interned Civilians Are Different.
The contrast between the soldier
prisoners and the interned German
civilians in the concentration camp at
Chateauroux is striking. Most of the
civilians show plainly the influence Of
their long contact with the - -ench
people Their faces cloud when the
question, Would you like TO be sent
back to Germany" is put to them
Numerous races comprise the colony
OF 500 prisoners, who are housed with
modern comforts in a new building
OF the asylum in the department OF
the Indre- Germans are most numer-
Gus among the mass, which in ludes
Austrians, Poles, Alsatians- and Czechs.
single men and single women oc-
cupy separate light, airy dormitories
amllles are provided with light apart
ments where they can enjoy a SEM
olance Of home life Here II children
have been born since the colony was
installed There have been only two
deaths, both from tuberculosis.
Camp Governs Itself.
When 1 come into the office" the
preLecI SAID, I can tell by a glance
az the card system on the walls wheth-
er tnere IS any sickness and where il
IS whether there have been any in
LIactlons OF the rules and where or il
any one has complaint TO make"
This is a result of a democrats form
OF government accorded the prisoners.
The camp delegation. which is COM
posed OF representatives Of each ma
tlohatlly' preserves order and carries
the commissary Of police form a court !
OF last resort but are seldom an
pealed to-
me children Of the colony are re- I
~ ing instructions in a school organ /
lzed on the premises bv an AIsaffan 4
school mistress. The two dozen little 4
schooI children showed every indf- 4
-aIlon OF perfect happiness.
All the 1nterned persons are permit
-ice their professions.