Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1917-11-07
BRITISH EDUCATE
GERMAN PRISONERS
Y. M. G. A. in English Prison
Camp. Pennsylvania Doctor
Assists.

After describing several barracks
and rooms in an English camp fog
German prisoners of war, Mr.. T. L.
Waldo, in a recent number of the
Philadelphia Ledger, says:
In long room used as theater I
found several hard at work making a
sofa, upholstering it with shavings, to
be used in a play the following Sun
day evening. The play was Suder-
mann's Johannesfeuer.' The chief ac-
tor (of the First Foot Regiment) told
me that at home he was sculptor
He led me round to the front of the
stage and showed me a plaster figure
of a young man he had made to adorn
the proscenium. He had been a cap
tive for three years. The man who was
helping him make the sofa was twenty
five years old and hailed from He'll
bronn-an upholsterer by trade. In
the greenroom a double bass leaned in
corner. There We're sets of scenery
painted by the prisoners. On the wall
were many poSters-of Sudermann's
CcnnlJE-
ler's 'Liebel and other modern dra-
mas.
I'm the Y. NJ c. A. erected by pris-
oners, QUILTED by Americans, instruc-
ton is given in Turkish by a wiseacre
who was three years at Constantinople
in Spanish by another prisoner in ag-
Ticulture, algebra, biology, physiology
by others. The librarian was captured
at Loos two years ago; he halls from
iC CT
tyrone, comes from Nuremberg and
was taken in the battle of the Somme
lie told me he had been in the camp
year and two days, with a wistful ac-
cent on the two days.
AT adjacent workshops of the Roy
al Engineers some 400 prisoners are
employed | saw them at work Great
ing sentryq boxes of big logs with the
bark on by successive processes.
What are they fed? They get thir-
teen ounces per diem of bread when
working, nine when idle; six ounces of
meat five days in the week, ten ounces
of salt fish two days d week. three
quarters of an ounce of coffee, one
ounce sugar. half an ounce of salt,
four ounces green stuff ii. e. cabbages,
turnips and the like), two ounces split
peas or beans, four ounces rice or po-
tatoeS, one ounce margarine (Which
costs twenty-five cents a pounw) two
ounces oatmeal, one ounce jam, two
ounces cheese (if at work., one and a
half ounces maize meal Cf at work.,
one seventy second ounce pepper. That
ought to do for one day for one man.
The food is drawn in bulk by a ser
geant major" for each group, and woe
be unto him if he cheats! Potatoes
abound and are raised in the gtrdens,
which rae numerous and hourishing.
There they produce not only potatoes,
but parsnips, beans, lettuce and other
vegetables. They eat the seeds of the
sundowers, and their asters and mari
Colds are beautiful to behold.
"AS those at work earn a shilling a
day, they can buy extras at the can
teen. I saw a great many rabbit
hutches and learned that the last CEN
Sus there were $500 Dummies. which
were destined to be petted a While and
then killed and eaten.
"They have d football field, Roman
Catholic chapel in use very evening. q
band, hospital with a fully equipped
operating room, where / found Doctor
North, of Punxsutawney, Pa, a grad
uate of the University of Pennsylva
mia. There is a gymnasium, where !
saw men vigorously at work. In the
three years of its life the camp has lost
eleven prisoners by death. Two died of
woundsf one of. appendicitis. Sixteen
prisoners have passed through the
camp in this time.
One letter may lie sent on Monday
another on Thursday-post free. In an
ten. The prisoners may receive as
many (short ones) as they like, These,
of course, aer censored. The letters
and packages shed a highly significant
light on economic conditions in Ger
many.