The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-24
NM -Four Years In Germany"
Ambassador Gerard Experiences, at German Court
Until Entrance of The United States Into
The Great Var

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benefited by the change of scene and
occupation. The Russians, especially
became very useful to the Germans as
: agricultural laborers.
STARVATION DIET
AT RUHLEBBN
Professor Alonzo +. Taylor, Of the
University OF Pennsylvania. a food ex-
pert, and DIR. ID. J. Mccarthy, also
Of Philadelphia. Joined my star IN
1919 and proved most efficient aud
fearless inspectors of prison camps
Doctor Taylor could use the terms
Galleries proteins end so on as readily
as German experts, and at greater
rate of speed, His report showing that
the official diet of the prisoners ",
Ruhlehen was a starvation diet in
censed the German authorities TO such
fury that they forbade him to revisit
Ruhleben.
|, Professor Buckhaus. the German ex-
pert, agreed with him in some of his
findings. do not know what VIII
happen TO the professor. who seemed
wiling to do his best for the pris-
oners. He wrote a booklet on the
prison camps which he asked permits
sion to dedicate to me. but the war
office. which published the book. re-
fused to allow him 70 make this dedi-
cation 1t was a real pleasure to see
the way In which Doctor Taylor car
ried on his work Of food inspection.
and his work as well as that of the
. other doctors sent from America to
iain my staff, Doctors F'urbush, Nc
earthly. Roller. Harms, Webster and
Luginbuhl. did much to better camp
conditions.
Doctor Caldwell the sanitary ex-
pert, known for his great work in
Serbia-now, ] believe. head OF the
hospital at plttsburg--reported that
the prison diet, while of good quality
ard. perhaps. sufficient in quantity by
weight is lacking in the essential ele-
monts which contribute to the making
% wall~halanced and satisfactory
diet II is lacking particularly in
fat and protein content, which is es~
paeially desirable during the colder
rqonths Of the year. $50 There is con-
sirable doubt whether this diet alone,
without being supplemented by the
articles Of food received by the pris-
oners from their homes would in
any way be sufficient to maintain the
prisoners In health and strength"
Doctor Caldwell also visited Witten-
berg and found the commanders by
temperament, etc, untitled for such a
position.
The Germans. as DR. Taylor has
pointed out, tried to feed prisoners on
schedule. like horses. There Is how
ever. nervous discrimination in eat
ing in man. diet, scientifically fitted
TO keep him alive, may fail because
C IT'S mere monotony.
SPOON NICTUAIS
FOR PRISONERS
Think of living as the prisoners of
war ifg Germany have for years with =
out ever having anything (cXcept black
bread which cannot be eaten with
spoon
officer prisoners, after matters had
settled down and after several bitter
contests which had with the German
authorities, were fairly well treated.
There was, as in the case of the camps
for the privates a great difference be-
tween camps and a great difference
between camp commanders. MIR. Jack
son did most of the visiting OF the
officers camps. In many camps the
officers were allowed a tennis court
ard other amusetnents, light wine or
beer at meals but the length OF the
war had a bad effect on the mental
I condition Of many OF the officers
/ A great step forward was made
when arrangements were entered into
1 between Germany and England where
! by wounded and sick officers and men,
when passed by the Swiss comm ission,
which visited both countries were sent
! tar wit2erIand~ sent still SIS prisoners
/ OF war-sub1ect to return 10 Germany
I OF England respectively But the OPP
/ portunity afforded by change of food
and scene, as well AZ reunion OF fam
/ lilies, saved many Il life. BY arrange
/ i0C nts between the two countries, also.
/ tbs severely wounded prisoners were
set free,
/ I believe that this exchange of the
heavily wounded between the Germans
and the Russians was the factor which
prevented the entrance OF Sweden into
the war, These wounded men ira
yersed the whole length of Sweden
il the railway, and the spectacle ar
forfed TO the Swedish population of
these poor stumps OF humanity. vic
TINS OF war. has quite effectually kept
the swedish population from an at
tack of unnecessary war fever.
Offcers and men who trieC to e.
cope were not very severely punished
In Germany, unless they had broken
or stolen something in their attempt
otilcers were usually subjected to
jail confinement for aperiod. and .hen
often sent to a sort OF punitive camp.
{ ''NNt' II 1'1c WhS situated IN one
ring forts surrounding the city OF
kustrin. which I visited in September.
1916 There the officers had no OPP
portunity for exercise except In a very
small courtyard or on the roof, which
Was covered with grass, OF the build
ing IN which they were confined On
my visit. however, ] arranged for the
construction of tennis court out
SIDE. The British officers In Germany
/ virtually suhsisted on their parcels
received from home. and during the
end of my stay, q much better tea
could he had with the prison officers
than with the camp commander. The
prisoners had real tea and rxarmalade
and white bread TO offer, luxuries
which had long since disappeared from
all German tables. On the whole. the
quarters given TO the officers prison
In Germany were not satisfacto and
We're not OF the kind that should have
b@en offered to officer prisoners OF
war.
TWO MILLION
PRISONERS IN GERMANY
At the time feft Germany there
were nearly two million prisoners of
war In the empire. of whom about
ten thousand were Russian officers.
nine thousand French officers and