Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-09-05
CARE FOR AMERICANSlF
CAPTURED BY GERMANS
American Red Cross Have Perfected
Plans by Organizing Prisoners
Relief Committee.
ABOUT 100 AMERICANS
HELD IN GERMANY
Assorted Food Parcels and Clothing
VIII be Forwarded Soon. Timed
Goods Cannot to be Sent
to Prisoners.


to Prisoners.
The American Red Cross has per-
fected plans to care for Americans
who may be captured and held in
German prison camps. A Prisoners
Relief Committee has been organized
at Berne, Switzerland, under the su-
peryision of Ellis L. Dressed, of the
American Legation. Mr.. Dressed SER
we'd from the outbreak of the war in
1914 up to our breaking OF diplo-
matte relations as an attache OF the
American Embassy at Berlin, where
his duties included relief work for
men Of the Entente nationalities in
German prison camps.
Today only about one hundred
American prisoners are he'd in Ger
many. Most Of these are civilians
taken OF American merchantmen that
have been sunk by Teutoa subma-
rines. More recent arrivals in the
prison camps had served as gun crews
since the arming of our merchant
ships.
Speedy provision for their relief
apd for those who may be taken pris-
oners is lecessitated by the German
policy of giving their prisoners of war
food totally inadequate to keep men
in good health. The extremely high
death rate among Russian, Serbian
and Roumanian prisoners in Germany
and Austria Gao per cent in the case
of the Roumanians) has been largely
due to the, inability Of Russia and the
Balkan states to organize the ration
ing Of psisonsFs 81 their nationalities
from their home countries.
A recent cable dispatch from Paris
tells Of a French soldier just back
from a German prison camp and in
the last stage of tuberculosis. This
soldier was one of q batallioa Of a
Thousand young and healthy men cap
tured in body. early in the war.
More than fifty per cent of the num-
Der are now dead, or have been re-
turned to France. via Switzerland, as
incura bles.
Malnutrition, no less than unsani-
tary conditions. produces these re-
suits. British. Canadian and Austria
liam prisoners of war in Germany now
depend exclusively upon food shipped
to them from London, and generally
give the prison camp ration to prison
ers of other countries. who are, as a
rule, less we'll provided. Bread is al
ready being dispatched from Berne to
the Americans in Germany, aad ar
rangements have also been made for
transmitting letters and money from
their families and friends in this
country.
Thus far only bread has been sup
Piled by the Berne Committee Of the
American Red Cross. Assorted food
parcels and clothing will also be for
wared soon. In the meantime the
Central Prisoners of War Committee
of London is acting on behalf of
American prisoners in Germany, send
ing them such foods as the COM
mittee regularly dispatches to British
and colonial prisoners.
BY arrangement with Germany,
these food parcels are sent to the
prisoner three times fortnight. The
parcels supplement the bread which
is also regularly supplied. and each
Of them contains ten pounds Of meat,
butter, sugar, jam, coffee or tea, salt,
rice and dried fruit. The American
Red Cross IS forwarding to Berne
stocks Of the same foodstuffs, as we'll
as cheese. evaporated milk. Goldfish,
and mixed biscuit. 9inned goods can
not be sent to prisoners, for Gesmany
has made over the tin containers. as
hand grenades. =
Ninety-five per cent Of the British
packages sent into Germany. with
postal card receipts to be- mailed back
by the prisoner, have been duly re-
ceipted for. The American Red Cross.
also, will enclose postal cards. as q
means OF making sure that American
prisoners do actually receive the food
parcels sF,& =
0--.
Now that spuds cal be purchased
without fhendin4 over youn mock et