American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-13

The war department authorizes the
following:
Prisoners of war and their prob
lens are already with US. Inside wire
fences at three war prison barracks
the war department has a consider
able number of German prisoners.
Since its business is TO be ready ahead
Of time, it is completing plans for
handling the thousands that the flu
ture may bring.
Work and pay for prisoners, their
care and food, censor:ng of their mail,
guarding them, and a dozen other
parts of the problem have been gone
over and are so near solution that an
outline of the plans can be given.
Adiutant General to Control.
All war prisoners, whether military
or naval, ultimately will be placed in
the custody of the war department,
and the adjutant general of the army
will have general control through
five pnircipal bureaus.
l.. Administration. Charged with
the composition and personnel of
guards; their pay, %rations, clothing
and transportation.
2. Employment. Concerned with
the labor of prisoners. both within
their places Of internment and on
federal, state and private p~riiects
without the prisons.
3. Religious and Educational We'll
fare. All matters regarding religion,
education. recreation and Red Cross
and benevolent assistance.
4. Inquiry. Custody of the records
of war prisoners. Information con-
corning prisoners will be transmitted
to the enemy's government and to
the National Red Cross society. This
bureau is also charged with the for
warding of mail. money orders and
packages, sent from the prisoners
home country for delivery to individ-
ual prisoners.
;. Repatriation. The final restOra-
ton of prisoners TO their home our
try at the conclusion of hositilities.
L. :. Has Three Prison Barracks.
Places of detension are known as
war prison barracks. At present three
such barracks have been established.
loacted at Fort Mcpherson, Ga; Fort
O%glethorpe, Ca, and Fort Dauglas,
Utah. Each barracks is commanded
by a colonel of the regular army, as
sisted by a staff of officers similar
to that of a commanding officer of an
army post or camp.
The general regulations under
which war prisoners are held were
made the subject Of a special article
of the fourth Hague convention. In
addition to this, the United States is
bound by certain provisions Of the
Geneva convention.
CAPTIVE Officers Get Salaries.
Officers who may be made prison
ers are allowed, under the provisions
of the Hague convention, the pay Of
officers of the corresponding grade in
the army of the captors' government.
and such is the present practice in
the United States.
The enlisted men who are made
prisoners are given the same medical
attention. pay. clothing and quarters
as are allowed United States soldiers
The quarters authorized for wal
prisoners are constructed in accord
ance with the specifications governing
the building of cantOnments used by
the United States army. War prls
oners are not confined in the ems o
being placed in iails or prisons o.
penal institutions. but as it is neces
sarv to limit their freedom of move
ment the environments in which the
are held are surrounded by a wlr'
fence. Within the limits of this fenc'
prisoners are given liberty Of action
Prisoners Have Religious Liberty.
Under the Hague convention rule
war prisoners enjoy complete libert
i'm the exercise Of their religion. T.
provide for this. there is a chaplain
of the regular army on the staff o
the c~ommandant of each war priso-
barracks. who has general supervi
sion of religious matters connecte
with the prison. Services are author
lied for all prisoners so desiring
where churches of special denOmina
tons are located in the n~eighborhOO
of the places of interment. A repre-
sentative of the international CON
mittee of Young Mems Christian as
sociations also is accredited to eac
war prison barracks and. i'm cOnjunC
tiOn with the barracks chaplain, a.
sists in the athletic and social affair
of the prisoners. In the event of th
death of a war prisoner. the SAN
honors and respects are shown as
case of the death of am individual
corresponding rank i'm the Unite
States army.
The educational welfare of the pri
Oners is under the immediate cOntr
of the barracks chaplain. who
charged with the organization
courses of instruction as elected }
the prisoners. and who is aided Z
the prisoners themselves. Later. "
cational training will be introduced
each barracks TO provide for prisol
ers who are without any trade or "
cation. the qualified prisoners beir
used as instructors for the others.
Send Letters without stamps.
Prisoners are entitled to send ma
matter through international mai
without postage. Mail matter for do
nestle destination is subject to pos