New Britain herald., 1915-09-11
GERMANS NOT HARSH
 TO WAR PRISONERS
Sports Chief Pastime at Mainz
 and English Lead
of the Associated Press)

Correspondence of the Associated Press,)
 Mainz, Germany, August 29.-A visit to the officers prison camp in the wonderful old citadel here, and a talk with the English, French, Belgian, Russians-as we'll as German officers completely destroys the inn pression that personal antagonism end hate exists among the actual fighting men in the war.
 The Mainz camp, which is one of the best war prisons of Germany, at present has a population of 555 off, cers, 60 of whom are British. The balance is almost equally divided be- tween Russians and French and Bei- gian. Something over 100 common soldiers detailed as servants are quar- tered there in addition.
 Absence of Hate.
 Both sides recognize in the other honorable opponents who have had individually nothing to do with either the causes or the conduct of the war, and whom the misfortunes of honorable conflict either have summed or hit.
 Before the war the citadel of Mainz was a barracks. Its rooms and its quarters were emptied late last sum- mer. and after being gone over by the white-wash man and the cleaner were turned into camp. Its myriad of rooms were found easily available for comfortable quarters for officers. Many of the higher and older men have individual apartments, and in none are more than a dozen men.
 The buildings are in the form of square about a huge enclosure, in which tennis courts have been built, ard which serves excellently as an exercise ground for the officers. The scene at almost any time of day is one of kaleidoscopic variety as the red trousered Frenchmen mingle with the khaki-clad Ehglishmen, and the bril- iiantly uniformed Belgians walk with the Russians.
 One of the largest buildings has been turned into 8 mess where the officers eat. Four meals a day are served-beginning with the customary continental breakfast of bread and coffee, a hearty dinner at noon, a lighter meal late in the afternoon and lunch or supper before bedtime,
 Mild Restrictions.
 Until dark the men are allowed the liberty of the entire camp; after that they retire to their rooms, but may keep lights burning until II. At 7:45 in the morning they must be up and out. By a sort of self government system two officers in each building are put in control or command each week, and upon these rests the re- sponsibility of getting the men out l promptly each day and of enforcing | the rules regulating the life of the l camp.
 Good Food.
 The men with whom an Asso- ciated Press correspondent had op- pcrtunity to speak recently agreed without exception that the food was good and sufficient in quantity. Twice a day the men are allowed half a bottle of wine or of beer with their meals, and in addition are able to purchase almost any variety of eat ebles things to drink and to wear, as well as luxuries, at the camp can teen
 Sport figures prominently in the life of the men at Mainz. and scarcely a week goes by without a football or cricket match, a tennis tournament or some similar event. The Englishmen, despite their numerical inferiority, are as usual, the leaders in all games and outdoor exercises.