Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-13
AMERICANS UNDERTAKE
HUGE TASK Of RELIEF
To Work Among German and Aus
trian Prisoners of War
in Russia.
Distribution of Warm Clothing for
Protection Next Winter One of
the Chief Necessities.

STOCKHOLM. July -. via London.
July 13.-An important conference re-
earding relief work among the German
and Austrian prisoners of war in Rus
STA. under the direction of the Ameri-
can embassy at Petrograd. has just
been concluded at the American lega-
ton here. The work will now be un-
dertaken on a larger scale. The
American ambassador at Petrograd,
David R Francis. has named several
members of his stan to handle the re-
lief work exclusively.
The conference was attended by Prof.
Edward T. V. Devine of New York, who
is directing the work for the embassy;
Rudolph Petersen of Hamburg, repre-
senting the German government, and
Slatin Pasha. representing Austria.
Eleven sociological and trained relief
workers. all from the United States,
: accompanied Prof. Devine to Petrograd
to engage in active field work.
Part of Embassy's Duties.
Relief work among the Austrian and
German prisoners in Russia is part of
the duties of the American embassy.
which ss looking after the interests of
the central powers during the war.
Germany and Austria Hungary are
anxious to do what they can for their
imprisoned soldiers during the coming
winter. the rigors of the Russian and
Siberian climates having already
caused many thousands to be sent home
In advanced stages OF tuberculosis.
They will furnish clothing and medical
supplies. Permission also has been OBJ
tanned for the central powers to send
Red Cross nurses to work among the
sick and helplessly wounded. Relief
also must be given to the interned
Austro- Hungarian and German civil
lans. who are not imprisoned, but are
restricted to certain districts and find
IL difficult to earn a living.
Ambassador Francis and Prot. Devine
decided IL was necessary to enlarge the
scope of the work. Conditions were
reported to Washington, and the con-
ference here with the representatives
Of the central powers was arranged.
The work will involve the expenditure
Of large sums of money. which will be
paid eventually by the central powers
Suffer More Than Natives.
The Austro-Hungarian government.
heretofore, has been able to provide
clothing for its returned prisoners only
when they reached the Swedish from
Russian prisoners. This summer some
$4,000 crowns has been spent for
clothing The clothing now may go
direct to the prisoners who are not ac-
customed to the Siberian colds and who
suffer more than the natives.
So far as is known here, no formal
charge has been made by the central
powers that war prisoners are treated
differently from the Russian army it,
self. but the standards of living are so
dissimi3ar that -Hungarians
succumb where Russians might thrive
After some negotiations the Russian
government has agreed to allow five
representatives from the American en-
bassy to work among the prisoners of
war and twelve among the informed
civilians of the central powers.
Amba ssador Francis attention was
first called to this work when he passed
through Stockholm on the way to Pet
rograd and had conference here with
the German and Austro Hungarian
ministers. These officials today ex-
pressed to the Associated Press their
appreciation Of the manner in which
the relief work has been handled since
Ambassador Francis and F. NJ. bearing,
the secretary of the embassy at Petro-
grad, reached their posts few months
ago.