Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-12
By Wilbur s. Forrest.

l4hSsy yam IDN hldil.J
Prisoners of war or not, they re hui
man." Such is the philosophy of Ma
ior W. c. Bulkley, D. S. o., British Reg
ular Army, who commands England s
largest war prison camp here at Dor
chester
More t1an 5000 of the Teutons who
fought for the Kaiser on the Western
front during the last fourteen months
are reaping the benefit of British leni-
ency in this model city, built exclusive
ly for hteir use on the outskirts of this
historic British town. No other press
representative was alaong on this trip
today and it is the first time an out
slider has been permitted to inspect
every nook and corner of the camp and
talk unreservedly to the prisoners.
Surrounded by double fence of Am
erican barbed wire flanked by wire en-
tanglements, hundreds of substantially
built, one story houses, electric lighted,
amply windowe1 and rooted, have been
built to accommodate the prisoners. The
houses are in rows, fronted by streets
and cross streets which swarm with
German grev-Oreen uniforms. The main
gate opens into large parade ground
surrounded on three sides by barracks
which were used in peace time by a
regiment of British cavalry. In these
barracks wnere Hanoverians captured
in 1914, are living today, a regiment
of Hanoverians fighting for England a
hundred years ago, was quartered.
we got an uncle in San Francis
20, said one of the prisoners when he
learned that an American was within
earshot.
"Where does he live in San Franz. :
HE lives on jackson street. | used
to visit him often" answered the prs.
oner, perfect English. A well built
youth whose counterpart is in every
American city, was leaving the camp
postoffice with small decorated
Christmas tree sent by his family in
Germany He had stood in line for
thirty minutes until his name was call
ed, and he had eagerly grabbed the
tinseled evergreen as an officer, who
first inspected it, handed it over Stop
ping a minute to talk he rushed Off to
his hut where the same tree few
minutes later mad the place of honor
on big table in the center of the room
with forty other prisoners admiringly
looking on.
This prisoner used to be sailor on
a Seattle-Frisco steamer. When Ger
many declared war he hurried back to
the Fatherland.
An enormous kettle in one of the
large camp cookhouses was presided
over by big fellow who used to be
chef in Germany. He was making tea
for eight hundred men, but stopped a
minute to explain that he had relatives
in Mississippi. Another prisoner, near
by, was cutting quarters of beef into
small cubic hunks for soup. A crate of
cabbages and lentils was on hand to
Flavor the stew.
On the same street with this cook
house was the school building, also the
shower baths and gymnasium. In the
school building, Glasses are heard by
l young man VINO used to teach at
Heideburg. He's teacher of Ian
guages. The effect of rigid military
discipline imposed by the German army
was manifest in the way the shower
baths, occupying two buildings, are al
ways in use.
"Turn uot!" ordered a British off
Ger conducting the inspection Forty
German heels clicked, or would have
clicked if shod, as twenty German
youths in "atogether" stood rigidly
at attention. The gymnasium encloses
many appurtenances for physical cul.
ture and is well patronized.
Two large commissary stores provide
the prisoner with food and supplies not
included in the daily rations. Ger.
man speaking British clerks are in
charge. They sell everything from ban.
anas and canned milk to clothespns
at prevailing market prices. Prisoners
who have established credit "until
more money is sent from Germany"
are able to "have it charged. "
Certain brands Of German wares, un-
obtainable elsewhere in England, are
to be found in the camp stores Free.
dom of action and speeches is allowed
in the camp. Work is voluntary. Hun.
dreds Of prisoners, however, prefer to
work and nave found employment
erecting additional huts. For this la
Dor they are paid by the British gov.
.ernment A dozen German cobblers op-
crate shoe repairing shop. This re.
pair work is free. The British gov.
eminent furnishes the leather and pays
the cobblers. An eight.chair barber
shop snaves all comers for two cents
per shave or free If the unshaven is
broke. The BARRIERS are paid by the
government. ,r...
A hospital fully stated by the Roy.
al Army Medical Corps is provided for
the prisoners. About sixty Of 1000
prisoners brought to the camp in Sep.
tember after the Battle Of Loos were
slightly wounded. Their wounds were
dressed daily and all but one recovered
Several who were gassed are still con
fined.
at was the English gas That got
me, . said Prussian hospital patient
OF it had been German gas, ] would
not be here. German gas Kills the man
who breathes it. English gas makes
You sick for long time but It doesn 7
kill you"
The patients story was partially cor