Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1916-12-01
BY CYRIL BROWN,
respondent Of New York Times.

on many fronts, but never so poignant
ly the pure essence Of tragedy al
when the dead awaken"~-the moment
when hopeessly war-damaged prison
ers are metamorphosed by the illusory
hope Of new existence from dumb
brutes. deadened by long captivity and
physical misfortune, into men again
when they touch home soil, II they are
Germans or Ausirians. or leave the en-
emy's shores forever If they are Rus
SLAMS
Generally once. frequently three
times q week, this dramatic episode
Is PLACED on the strand of the Baltic
az the pleasant summer resort Of Sass
niiz on The emerald island Of Ruegen,
five hours suil from the Swedish port
Of Trelleborg. when the good ship of
mercy The Swedish Red Cross hospital
ship Aeolus, old seadog Captain Brand
commanding, brings its pitiful freight
Of exchanged prisoners from Russia
and lOads similar return cargo. Ow-
ing to the general Russian offensive
which so taxed the Russian strategic
railways that no rolling stock could be
spared for the shipment of prisoners
10 Sweden, this humane exchange had
been suspended for several months,
but was able TO witness its resump-
ton.
To get the complete picture you must
begin with tour of this little, old
fashioned. staid seaside town. The
summer girl has gone home to Berlin
aud the provinces. The stony strand
is deserted of happy children and |
anxious grown-ups. (Deleted by cen
sOr) The vendors of amber souvenirs |
IA speciality of Sassnitz-of picture
pOstnls. memorial shells and edibles
are boarding up their booths. Save
for a few belnted holidaying stragglers,
the modest seaside hotels are dead
vet your trained nose detects an I'M
air of expectancy about
town. For this is exchange prisoner
day. an event in the life of this fortu-
nate far-off community, where other
wise the waves Of war cause hardly
faint ripple. Native beautles-young
girls and others of more matronly
dressed In white, are hur-
ryng strandward bearing lunches of
anrly fall flowers and of oak leaves,
with which to decorate the returning
heroes
An All tuberculosis Shipment.
The Times correspondent meanwhile
'islts the local music hall, where the |
Russian prisoners to be exchanged are :
,edded, having had thorough en-
orced rest preparatory TO standing the .
hort but rough Baltic crossing to Swe- {
len. find more Russians In the vlk- u
oria hotel and other hotels-about go p
t them all victims of tuberculosis. 5
his arouses curiosity. but proves no Il
They have been carefully a
licked from the prison camps of Aus q
ria and Germany for an all-tubercu- p
isis hipment--senslbie segregation s
lther than to have sprinkllng of G
sufferers injecting o
liked shipment of cripples. These 81
DOR wretches lie hacking and cough u
*. many obviously In advanced stages ri
the disease. In cots on the floor and Il
age of the music hall. their faces Il
e impressive hopeless. Captivity a
rs turned gray the unkempt hair and RI
'ards of many; but there are also
oxen youths, some mere boys. The SO
Xix of them have been shipped from tn
nstrian camps. as the Russians have an
ieleted by the censor) more Austro- WI
ungarlan than German prisoners and tn
exchange more Austro- 81,
uagarians than Germans. or
The Austrians are sending home de
cir prisoners In good shape as to tn
upment. A new pair of black leath- he
boots stands at the foot of each cot. so
Il beside them lies new convict suit by
dark brown material with a round Gel
p to match. The equipment fur &c
she'd 20 returning Russian prisoners ties
Is formerly not so good. l learned th'
ere Is obviously laudable desire to
prove. however. The Russians are asl
eGdy having a foretaste of liberty OFF
iopcb Of neutrality. at least-ln the wo
ape NJ pretty little Red Cross ant
rise. Miss Marie Oestlin. who has phi,
m In Americn; In fact. had nurse the
NJ conferred on her by the Illinois TO
aiming school OF Chicago. Miss Oest. tril
who has much 20 say in praise OF has
'erican humanitarianism. notably OF chs
splendid work done by American Pu
] Cross surgeons and nurses during ant
war. has been continuously on duty {
SaSsnitz since August. 1915. minis wit
lng Ia Russian exchange prisoners, son
wears part Of her material reward the
the form OF Austrian and German enc
J Cross medals ON her starched mo-
edish uniform. wit
n private room In the victoria DIRE
ell | meet and try to talk with
dfui OF Russian officers. the only a.
consumptives In the shipment. but
re little Roadway. as one Is a Cos &C.
captain. who does NOT speak Rus 80
|. and all are impervious to Broad -.
: German. bad French. and alleged IN