The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-10
METHOD OF VISITING

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METHOD OF VISITING
In goin5 to one of the camps the
American investigator first reports
himself to the commandant and there
immediately follows tour of the camp,
the two going together. The investi-
gators work concerns the number of
prisoners, the camp organization, which
is left largely in the hands of pris-
oner committees. the sleeping accom-
modations, sanitary arrangements, the
infirmary. the number of doctors and
medical attendants, the number of in
and out patients in the infirmary the
Kitchen and the food supply, what work
is provided or required of prisoners,
the provisions for exercise, size OF
grounds, etc. Every building Is en-
tered and close inspection is made.
Often the tour is interrupted by persons
desiring to speak to he investigator
and is told to report at certain place
later. When this tour Is finished the
investigator rakes another, this time
without the commandant nor any 9TH
er British official. Here he comes into
closer contact with the prisoners and
receives those who desire to present
complaints. The complaints are heard
In building chosen for the purpose.
The American Investigator takes his
place there with ar interpreter, usually
one OF the camp captains, as the men
in charge of divisions of prisoners are
called, they Icing in control of certain
numbers. Here. Americans and Ger
mans only are permitted, men come in
to air their grievances, to tell that the
food is bad, the work too hard, or what
not. Careful note Is made of every
complaint and finally the attention of
the authorities is called to the matter.
The prisoners talk freely to the Amer
leans for they now know that they
may do so with complete impunity SO
far as the risk of reprisals from camp
authorities is concerned
In each camp there are administra-
tive committees of prisoners. These
are sor. Of welfare committees and
in them is invested a good deal Of au-
thority. Then there are committees
on music. sports. gymnastics. choral
societies, theatricals, Young Mems
Christian association band, etc.
COMPLAINTS NOW FEW
While the number of complaints reg
istered with the American investiga-
tors is not small. particularly those
coming from the civilians, neither are
they serious and speaking generally,
conditions are good. better. perhaps,
than those in any other country. Ger
tainly there has been no case of gross
mistreatment.
There has been good deal Of talk in
this county about dealing out severe
treatment to prisoners. The British
public would like to have prisoners
from Zeppelins- and submarines hanged
as pirates. The British government
tried treating a U-boat crew as ordi-
nary prisoners, unentitled to any of the
privileges of honorable prisoners of
war. At once Germany clapped an
equal number of British commission
ed officers into a prison and dealt out
special treatment to them of a kind far
more harsh than that the submarine
prisoners were getting. So presently
the submarines were turned into an
ordinary interment camp, where their
lot was not Better, so far as all es-
sentia1 things were concerned, than it
had been before. Lately the govern
ment has suggested severe resprisals
on German prise ners unless conditions
at Ruhlheben were bettered. Negotia-
lions are now on. but 1T isn't likely that
the British will ever be really harsh.
Conditions in all camps are now such
that any prisoner desiring to work may
do so, and be paid for it. They make
sacks, mail bags. work on roads, on
farms and so on. The rate OF pay is
liberal, considering that they are fur
nished with all food, clothing and other
necessarieS.
GREAT TASK
The German section of the American
embassy has a great task in looking
after the business and other interests
of informed civilians. Nearly all OF
these were residents of this, country
and consequently had certain. interests.
The embassy looks after these. II
there is a case in the courts in which |
one of the prisoners is involved the
EN- bassy will see to it that counsel Is
engaged, if the prisoner wants. and
ha r.
brings on, with the complaints regis |
tered, an enormous correspondence
which has now reached some 5000 let
ters a month.
Quite the most interesting feature
Of prison camp life itself is the de-
gree of self-government which pre-
walls. In this respect conditions are
much better in the military than in the
civilian camps. Order Is maintained by
administrative heads chosen by the |
prisoners and disciplinary measures are
often taken without recourse to the
British authorities. There was one
notable case in a military camp.
LETTER TO A MOTHER
Her. was a German soldier prisoner
from certain town in Germany. There
had been killed in France a man from
the same town, whose aged mother
was well known to the prisoner. The
prisoner, saying nothing to his fellows.
wrote the mother. He told her that
her scn was alive, prisoner in the
Same camp. He had been wounded,
however, and had gone insane, conse-
ouently he could not write to her him.
self. He said that the food was bad
and that the son needed certain deli
cacies, which he mentioned and he
asked that these be sent to him, say
ing that he woulG give them to the
son. In due course the things were
Forthcoming from Germany, and the
lying prisoner ate them and wanted
more. Instead of taking disciplinary