The Monticellonian., 1917-11-02
UNCLE GAM HAS
 PRISONERS IF VAR
THEY ARE THE GERMAN SAILORS TAKEN FROM WAR VESSELS
 IN AMERICAN PORTS.
KEPT IN EXPERIMENT CAMPS
They Are All We'll Treated and Well Fed, and Are Denied Virtually Noth- ing Except Their Liberty and Intoxi- eating Liquors.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

By EDWARD B. CLARK.
 Westinghouse it not possible thai great many of the American people will be surprised 10 learn that tht United States already has in charge q considerable number of German pris onerS of war?
 It is to be taken for granted that ev erybody in the country knows there are a great many alien German civili ans who are undergoing internment 1T various camps in the United States But interned civilians and interned prisoners of war are on the very basis of war conditions two entirely different propositions. One probably would net be allowed to tell just where the pris' oners of war are under confinement, nor is it likely that the government would care to have the news spread of the exact location of the camps where the civilians are interned, Dut the facts of the internment Of both classes of Germans have been given to the public in some form or other from day to day though never with any elab- Oration of detail
 The prisoners of war which the Uni ted States has in its keeping are those who were taken from German men-of- war which put into our harbors prior to the entry Of this country into the great conflict. When war was declared between this country and Germany It became necessary of course 10 put these men into camps where they could be cared for and well guarded to pre- vent their doing mischief in their own way to the land of their captors. It must be remembered that these sail ors, for such they are. are on the same footing as If they were soldiers taken on the field of battle
 They Are We'll Treated.
 It is possible, without going into de tails as to how many of these prisoners there are, or as to where they are, to say q word or two about their condi- ton and their treatment. The United States is particularly kindly to It's in. termed charges whether they be sim ply civilian alien enemies. or men who have been taken from the ranks of the armed services. Virtually the only thing which is denied these prisoners Is their liberty, although of course only certain kinds of reading matter and no intoxicating liquors are permit ted them; but beyond this they live well and seemingly are eontented.
 It is possible that some time in the future this country may have a huge number of prisoners of war in it's keep ing. Of course no one can tell about .his because In the first place yot must catch your prisoners and in tht second place decision must be made Il, to whether they shall be internet abroad or in this country. But i Uncle Sam ever does have any great number under his charge on this sidt If the water it can be taken for grant d that they will be well fed Uncl, Sam and John Bull are good Cea alike in this matter of full feeding"
 Loyalty Kills Partisanship.
 Ever since Washington was eStab- !ished as the capital of the United States there have been currents and cross currents of political, economic end legislative opinion, and there al ways has been fire of criticism from one party or another directed at this or that policy of the administration The fire at times has been heavy anC never has it died away altogether. Today, however, in this city, ant through the country as well, there i. manifest good deal of a change There are. of course. still criticisms o policies and sharp criticisms of tn, administration in many places. bu by comparison with former times tn. critical sea" is comparatively quiet Let it be noticed, however that tn, word comparatively is used.
 What is it that has produced tn, change? It is the simple fact that ", are at war and that the president o the United States is commander il chief of the army and navy. It Is sort of curious thing, perhaps, but fl way the American people, as Wash ington views it, have voluntarily en listed in the army and the navy, whicl means simply that they feel or mos of them feel, that they are bound to loyalty to the man who as civilian head of the armed forces must by hi oath try to defend the colors. If i probably this feeling of the American people, Washington thinks, that keep them in large part from their livel practice in peace time of criticizin l those things which they do not lilx and being sometimes little back ward in praising those things whicl they do like. In a sense partisan spirit subdues itself in war time.
 Stand by the Commander.
 This condition of things, of course is likely to change at any moment, bu | if the lessons of other countries an of their own country in previous wa times goes to prove anything, it vii change materially only when gros errors of administration force the pee pie to demand that changes of meth cd shall be made. Even in suc case as this, however, the histor of the past shows that there still rt mains an abiding loyalty to the fac ~---~-~-~~-~--~~-~~
 Only on the Market.
 Arthur, dear, did you say vou wer