The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-06-27
SAYS GERMANS TREAT
CAPTIVES HUMANITY
Swiss Inspector, Four Weeks in Pris-
on Camp, Found No Ground for
Criticism.

NEW YORK, June 27.-Life in the
German camps is not all hardships for
the hosts of allied soldiers who have
fallen into the hands OF their OPP
ponents, according to DR.. Paul Prels-
werk, a captain in the Swiss Hospital
corps, who went to Germany last
winter as a member of the Swiss
hospital commission and spent four
weeks there inspecting prison camps,
principally in Westphalia, Hesse, ana
Lorraine. DR.. PreisWeTk recently de-
ivered an address in Basic on the
German prison camps, which is quoted
as follows in the German press:
'The camps in their arrangement
follow the well-knowu plans of the
German camps for manoeuyres and
general encGmpments. The barrac ks,
with the exception of those built by
the Russians, which are partly sunk
| in the ground are all uniform.
Regarding the prisoners food, the
cooking is done on company and bat
TALON scale. The chief cook is an elder
| Nv German ssioned officer,
| with some French assistants. The food
| is well prepared; in fact, the method
! Of its preparation might be designated
as a model for the Swiss soldiers
| kitchens Although the cost of feeding
the prisoners is not high, the quantity
| is quite enough. The Russians have
enormous appetites, but the French
and English do not devour all that Is
placed before them. The reason for
this is to be found in the large mum
lbers of gifts that are sent to the men,
especially to the French, from home.
| Many prefer to live on these dainty
cousienments. which, however, consti-
tute a cause OF stomach and intestinal
illnesses. Each prisoner is allowed to
send two letters and four cards Il
month.
THE working conditions are favor.
| lble. There is enough work in the
camp itself for large portion of th-
| prisoners. Scattered groups, in charge
Of Landsturm men, leave in the morn
ing in order to find employment OF
the various works of land reclamation
and do not return TO the camp uni
| evening. Able-bodicd men who are no
thought likely to try to escape are al
so employed individually by th'
farmers, and they enjoy great free
IUm. Those who are not able to work
1r are able to do only half a task, arr
| not quite SO fortunate. They are some
times employed at light jobs aroun'
| he camps. or after sufficient training
nut ut office work. The hardest prob
lem Is the finding of appropriate wor
. for the colorcd element The Russian
, | work we'll ON the land if they lccelv
T., the proper 'sfodder.' while the Frenc
, are very handy at factory work.
4 Great care is taken to prevent cpl
8 | denies. Every new arrival Is s'late
| Tor four, sometimes sin, weeks Their
e he Is thoroughly cleaned up and vac
$ einated At least one bath must b
n | aiken every week. something which !
IS | the ease of the Russians always seem
I ia he n great and uncommon even
N | After this isolation the prisoners al
{ brought into camp. In cases OF ba
e. behavior change of camps is an q
q iicacious means of punishment. I'll
hospitals Of the prison camps are titte
out according to the standard. an
some of them are better than SON
canronal hospitals i'm Switzerland.
-, THE officers prison camps are ais
> fitted ont strictly according TO milit
" regulations. Naturally. in the
case, the prisoners are obliged to +
ce main in the camps. Variety Is aiforde
10y little walks which they are =
lowed to take couple of times
week. accompanied by Lands1ur
- men, 1t is understandable that an @
ficer in captivity suffers more mental
u than a common soldier. In the officers
st camps some five or six officers a
"a auartcred in n room. They drive teiiu
~ away hy means of music, reading. n
games Some also have little flow
gardens.
So - Alcoholic beverages are dclivcr'
nj i'm only moderate quantities, ncverth
IN less the Russians know how. by meal
4. Of several of them refraiuing fro
-v drinking at all for "A fixed number
IF times in succession, to supply one a
or other with good-sjzcd quantities of ;
IL. cohol aud with q little carouse.''
b, DR. PrciswerE concluded that t
H. responsible authorities did not willfl
.. " neglect anything calculated to he
W the prisoners.
~ last wear for the first time in mo