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

LUZ lHo s-tilkllSt4 nave d way OIL HdnOllnR
their pris 1ers which is in marked con-
trast to tie treatment which, accord
ing to the { fetal reports from the Amer
lean embas y in Berlin, is accorded Eng
lish prisoners in Germany.
GOODS ON REPRISAL
With the idea of ascertaining if there
is in this country any parallel for the
things that have happened in the prison
camps of Ruhlheben and Wittenburg, re-
ports of which have inflamed this country
and brought about official threats of
retaliation, which will never, prob bly,.
be carried out, SO great is the superiority
of Germany at the reprisal game, 1 have
made inquiries. Not in official British
quarters, where would doubtless have
been given permission to visit prison
camps to see for myself, but amongst
the Americans who are engaged in max
ing regular inspections of the CAMPS. who
can visit any camp without the highest
previous notice, have the run of tn whole
place. talking to prisoners withot the
slightest interference and not ev,n In
the presence of British officers sr...ese
Americans are unprecedented and expert
observers. The precedent is we'll estab-
lished for truth telling about prison
camps. If things are wrong they say
SO and If, after that happens, wrongs
are not remedied, they tell that too,
and the responsible authorities achieve
guilt of the eyilest charge that can be
made-mistreat4nent of helpless prisoners.
VERT4CT OF U. S. AGENTS
The va iict Of the agents of the Amer
lean COVE nment Is favorable to the Brit
ish wayb3of handling prisoners. There
have been complaints, but when things
are discovered wrong the war Office is
quick to make them right in accordance
with the recommendations of the Ameri-
can investigator.
, The work of looking after the pris-
oners, civil and military, Is in charge
OF Edward G. Lowry, whose offices oc-
cupy what used to be the German en-
bassy, a magnificent mansion on Carl
ton House Terrace, but which now
bears a small brass sign: American
Embassy, German Division" Mr.. Lowry
is assisted by Mr.. l. H. Littlefeld, for
merfy of Providence, and Boylston
Beal of Boston, as we'll as a consid-
cradle staff. Mr.. Lowry has been In
charge Of this work since the begin
ming.
There are many interesting things
about this caring for 30 many pris-
oners, but the most striking of all,
thought, concerns the working ar
rangement between the British govern
ment and the American officials. There
is not the slightest attempt at win:
dow dressing" The American investi-
gators can come and go as they please.
with no previous warning to camp au-
thorsties The war office furnishes
passes to Mr. Lowry in blank, and he
fills them out with the name Of the in
svestigator. saw one of these FORMS
1t said:
permission is granted to -----,
a member Of the United States embassy,
to visit any place of internment for
prisoners Of war within the United
Kingdom, on such occasions as he may
deem advisable"
AMERICANS IN CHARGE
Thus the whole thing is left in tho
hands Of the Americans. They appear
in camps with and without notice; there
is no chance of camp authorities maxi
ing things particularly nice on visit
days.
There is a great difference between
the civilian and military prisoners The
civilians are Germans OF military age
who were resident in England at the
outbreak Of the1war and they have been
put into intery .ent camps to keep them
out of -..As@S19f s way and as precau-
tionary measure agaip.t espionage.
They are not happysssheir compulsory
detention is irlstJfne and most OF tho
complaints com from them. With re-
gard to the m litary 1t is totally diff
ferent. These prisoners are under the
supervision and control Of noncom-
missioned German officers. the discip-
line is as strict as II the men were
still in the field. Perfect order is kept
and the soldiers make little trouble
and virtually no complaints.
There are 10 military camps for pri-
Yates and noncoms. 10 for civilians,
four for officers and two hospitals, one
military, the other civil, in the United
Kingdom. 1t has been found neces-
sary to keep the civilians and the SOL
diers separated for when thrown to-
gether fights ensued. The civilians ir-
ritated the soldiers by criticising them
for having become prisoners, while the
soldiers told the civilians in plain
terms what they thought of them for
never having gone to fight
SOLDIERS TAKE MEDICINE
The soldiers are spsftilSS lot and
take their medicine IL soldiefsy fash
ion The american embassy mas a
fund, furnished by the German gov
eminent, for the purpose Of buying GER
tain things. like tobacco. jam, ciga-
rettes, chocolate and other luxuries,
which arc not furnished in the ordinary
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