Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-11
INSIDE VIEW OF CAMPS
FOR PRISONERS OF WAR
"ermany as Seen From tho Inside
Is Told by Private Who
Escaped.
FAITH IN THE U-BoAT GONE
rood Restrictions Now So Serious
That Hun Soldiers Are Glad to
Search Refuse Heaps at British
Camps for Scraps.
international News Bureau.)
bY PRIVATE MARTIN LAWN,

serious In Germany that soldiers Of
Inc Kaiser are glad to search tho re-
fuse heaps at British prisoners camps
for scraps OF food.
When the parcels from england ar
rive, camp guards look on our spreads
hke begging poodles, the while COM
planning that the prisoners fare better
Tor food than the keepers.
Their faith In ~" has been rudely
shaken. Exaggerated stories were cir
culated OF :he terrible toll Of British
shipping taken by the U-boats. and
these stories might have had a lasting
elect but for the parcels which con-
sistently arrived from the land OF
famine and darkness"
Again they were officially blufed
that the parcels Of food came from the
Americans. and were sent over TO
create the Impression that there was
plenty OF food in England.
The effect OF this lie, too, was killed
by our system Of parcel forwarding
being organized and improved. Every
consignment was evidence against the
sunkcIa. and this evidence was sub
stantiatcd by tho entry OF America
into the war not stopping the parcel
supply.
The guards In tho camps were at
one time all for Kaiser: to-day his
name is rarely mentioned, unless in a
sentence seasoned with oaths and in
vectivc-
10 mention the crown prince In the
presence OF the tred-ofwar peasantry
o and Landstrum Ii to raise bad feeling
and bitter determinations.
H.ndenburg was planet. now he is
shooting star Fastening to oblivion
As tired cyclist searches for easy
reaches in a road. so do the Germans
search for rays OF hope in individuals
all possible saviors. To-day II Is
ono commander. and tomorrow an
other. who is to bring peace.
In the trains as we travelled to and
from work We mixed with German
work people. In tho mills and fac
tories we toiled alongs side old men and
young women. Practically the only
topics Of conversation were the awful
horrors OF few months longer Of
warfare.
Eggs arc only obtainable by women
In a delicate state Of health. and then
TO the extent OF one egg per week.
The shops arc devoid OF most food
stuTs
They are SO badly on that they can
not imagine plenty: and. personally.
from being SO often told OF the state
Of affairs in England. l became like
man intoxicated when l saw the shops
in London filled not only with such
necessities as the Germans are crying
lOF out Win luSurleS the IKE Oh WhlCn
tho Germans have not seen since the
beginning Of 1916.
So convinced were the Germans Of
peace in 1917 that the farmers con-
'sumed tho seed potatoes. and some OF
our men assisted them.
EnBland's stand AS regards the terms
>of peace put an end to the glory of
German arms. Everywhere one heard
talk Of peace only being possible by
negotiation. Albion was not beaten.
Time wore on. Rice became 20 and
so marks per pound, dripping prac-
served for the use OF the very wealthy
oftc!al classes.
DIFFERED SEVEN POUNDS
FOR PAIR OF BOOTS
Seven pounds was offered TO me for
the boots | escaped in. The fact that
our men enjoyed leather footwear was
yet another proof that England was
not in such 4 serious way.
Paper substituted cloth, rationinS
became more severe, and louder be-
came the growing. The farming
classes said they did not caro- who
won-the rule OF England could not be
any worse than that which they were
experiencing.
with the knowledge CLEANED by the
working OF the industrial classes from
men on leave or convalescent. or the
awful casualties Germany had sus-
FOR peace by negotiation.
They did not want victory; II was
peace. This feeling spread rapidly. and
AFFECTED the army, the navy and the
,munition workers; In fact everybody
but the war party
Mutiny took place In the army
wounded soldiers refused to return to
the G-ing lines after commissioners. and
workers commenced to strike. Tho
fortresses were quickly filled to over
.howing with mutineers.
HOT CHAMBER IS PLACE
OF EXTREAIE TERROR
The punishments inflicted on pris-
'eners In the hands of the Germans in
clude confinement on diet OF bread
and water in a dark cell. known to
prisoners as the hot chamber" where
steam Is heated TO a high temperature.
After the men have been kept there
for some time, they are turned out into
the snow. where they are required to
sand at attention for a certain length
Of time. Deaths are frequent.
) Many OF our men who were serving
tneriods for some crime or other" were
liberated to make room for German Of
tenders. and so that there would be
no POSSIBLE chance OF contact.
The German achievements in Russia
we're a somewhat mixed blessing.
Whilst the withdrawal of Russia from
che allies suited the German war party
Il
that the allies had commenced to
c1umble. thc overthrow Of power by
the PEOPLE gave heart and influence to
tho liberatCrs Of Germany.
From what the guards told me-and
they were practically Socialists to q
man when out of Official earshot-
strikes In different centers of industry
were engineered by government agents
80 that line as to the growing power
of socialism could be obtained.
=. It was a bold move, but clever one.
Tney soon found out the ones who
were spreading TIE gospel of freedom,
saad put them out Of danger. This
punishment they then hold up to tho
people as that which all daring TO
think for themselves would receive.
y Tho Gully really joyful people were
the Russians Tie evening of tho day
when tho guards informed us that
Russia had packed up" the Russians
sstorIned the sh"I in which we stored
our parcels. TtIse in thu shed he