Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-03
Exchanges ct Prisoners
Reveals the Terrible
Havoc Of Conflict


correspondence OF Associated Press
Stockholm, Sweden, May 20.-The
great task Of exchanging wounded
prisoners between Russia and Germany
thru Sweden will be continued thru
out the summer. The exchange APP
plies only to those prisoners totally un-
fit ever to serve again. One glimpse
at train load of these miserable war
derelicts leaves no doubt as to their
disability. Missing legs. missing arms
sightiess eyes, shattered jaws, twisted
spines and here and there the CLASSY
stare which tells its own story OF
burned out brain-these are the evil
dences the Swedish people see OF the
wart-tllat surrounds them.
The transfer thru Sweden is handled
entirely by the Swedish Red Cross, or
.Roda Korset," Of which Prince Carl.
brother Of the king, is the actual and
active head The German prisoners
are received from the Russians at Ha-
paranda at the Swedish Finnish from
tier. only a few miles south OF the
sweep of the Arctic circle. In trains
specially fitted for their use the
manned and twisted wrecks OF men are
taken south thru the entire distance OF
Sweden. journey of three nights and
two days, the pace Of the train being
timed for the utmost comfort. AL
Trelleborg. the southernmost part OF
Sweden the one-time soldiers OF the
Fatherland are placed upon German
hospital transports for the short sail
across the southern reach Of the Bal
tic to the German port Of Sassnitz.
From there they are taken to Ham
burg and held in detention for one
month as a guarantee against the I'M
portation Of any infectious disease.
This quarantine period ended. the men,
most of them dependents for life. are
returned to their relatives and homes.
Operation Reversed For Russians.
In the case Of the Russian prisoners
the operation is just reversed. They
are received from the German ships at
Trelleborg and are taken to the north
thru the glowing sunshine and the
mysterious nights Of the Arctic iau-
tudes. where soon the days will fade
one into the other with only a shadow
Of twilight in between. The work mas
begun this year with one train q week
IN each direction. This month the
number will be Increased to three in
each direction. The trains consist OF
sixteen cars and have a capacity OF
about e35 soldiers. When the work is
fully under way the rate Of exchange
will be about 1900 prisoners month
AS the percentage of totally unfit
among the men must be comparative
~ small. some idea may be gained az
to the total number Of prisoners held
on both sides Of the Russian German
battle lire.
The first train started north from
Trelleborg with the burden OF 23O
physical and mental ,deficients-a
CHASTITY assortment Of parts Of men.
AS they hobbled or were carried down
the gang plank Of the hospital steam
er at Trelleborg the procession seemed
like a. veritable outpouring from the
depths Of an Inferno. It was plain
to be seen that each man there had
come to grips with death and had
fought his way out Of that grim clutch
only at terrible cost Of wound and
scar Pallid faces and sunken eyes told
the story almost as quickly as empty
sleeves and folded trouser-legs Down
the narrow steamer plank they came,
awkwardly irving to manipulate the
unfamiliar crntches A right leg was
missing here. left there, and in some
cases perhaps only foot was gone.
Many Legless Men.
The debarkation from this strange
ship Of broken men had been under
way for 10 minutes perhaps when there
suddenly appeared among the human
fragments at the foot Of the gangwaS
man who had been entirely lost sight
Of as he made his way to shore. Both
of his legs were gone and his head
scarcely showed above the gangway
rails as he swung the remnants of his
body along between two stubby little
crutches. 1t soon developed. however.
that he was not alone in his misery for
there were several others like him. 1t
seemed that the crutch process would
never end, for the doctors said the
number Of "leg cases" was unusually
high in this first shipment Of human
wreckage home to Russia. One Of the
leg cases was a boy Of fifteen. His
left limb was gone we'll above the knee.
but with the dexterity Of youth he had
learned to hop along with only one
crutch and had thrown the other away
as so much impedimenta.
But soon the "arm cases" and the
"hand cases" were very much in evi-
Hence and at last came the wholly
helpless. There was one. soldier with
right leg and both eyes forever gone,
another with an arm gone and shat
tered foot supported in rope sling
about his neck. Then came the men
crazed by the shock Of battle or suf-
fering from acute melancholia. One
Of the latter never ceased to cry. There
were but three Russian officers in the
first exchange. Two Of these were
medical officers. One was paralyzed
as a result Of styphus, another was in
the last stages Of tuberculosis. Few
OF the Russians had ever seen the sea
until they were taken aboard the
transport and on the voyage across the
Baltic most Of them were violently i'll
Ia happy ships company indeed.
Trip on Red Cross Train.
Il Thru the courtesy OF Prince Carl the
correspondent Of the Associated Press
was extended the privileges Of the Red
Cross train. 1t was wonderful to see
the difference one night on neutral soil
and an understanding that they were
really bound for Russia at last effected
in the men. When the train stopped
at a junction point for breakfast the
poor cripples hobbled to the station
platform, most of them apparently
happy and wholly content with life.
Oddly enough the broadest smile
wreathed the face OF one Of the men
with the fewest legs. Breakfast was
/, ready and piping hot 1t was boun-
t;f,1l repast of meats fruits and vege-
tables. each man with glass of milk