Evening journal., 1918-02-11
HAN AID STlRVE
italian CAPTIVES
Germans Stab Famished
Men When They Rush
for Their Scanty Food
MANY Pc ISH
FROM HUNGER

LONDON, Feb. ii-Reuter's has re-
ceived copies OF carefully verified and
sworn statements from British soldiers
who have returned from German
prison camps and hospitals regarding
systematic brutality practlced boy the
Germans upon Italian prisoners These
reports came from more than @ dozen
different parts Of Germany They
have been confirmed by independent
testimony. The reports are of recent
origin, as the sold.e.s who gave the
testimony left Germany only recent
ly. a majority of them having been
released from prison camps about Il
month ago
Regarding the camp at Langensalza,
SaXony, evidence has been received
from more than "a dozen independent
sources Tn November about 1000
Italian prisoners were taken there and
placed in a separate part of the camp
behind bdrbed wire According 60 the
reports they were unnecessarily
knocked about by under officers and
guards who struck them with rifle
butts and scabbards
The Italians seemed famished, and
used to rush for their soup. The Ger
mans stabbed them with swords and
bayonets killing or woundlng many Of
them. Seven or eight Italians We're
dying from starvation in the camp
every day one Italian testified that
he had been fifteen days on the jour
ney TO the camp, and had only three
meals during all that time
There is a strong feeling among the
British prisoners that something
should be done for the Italians who
are dying al the rate of six or seven
a day from starvation or dysentery.
From the Dulmen .Nestphalial camp
there are reports from many independ-
emit witnesses concerning the way the
italian prisoners are treated II is
stated that the prisoners there were
marched all the way from ltay with
no other food than bread. They also
were knocked about and starved and
otherwise treated with inhumanity.
English prisoners gave them their
German raiions
One witness said that several weeks
before hc left Dulmen 200 or 500 ltal
ian prisoners arrived there All of
them were virtually starved. Il saw
a German sentry draw his bayonet
AGAINST these men and beat them, said
this witness
In Cassel it is reported that the ltal-
ians are treated worse than the Brit
ish, being pushed about or struck by
German Co~porals At Mannheim the
same brutality Is regularly practiced
one witness said that the Italians there
had Travelled twelve days on three is-
sues Of soup The Italians rushed
madly for the food. and some OF them
were bayoneted The Germans, this
report said, were giving them only half
rations
AZ Munster, g. was testified, The be-
havior of The Germans TO the Italians
had become much worse since the
recent large capture of Italians. The
prisoners suffered very much from
the cold and were wrapping themselves
In blankets whenever they could. one
witness said that he saw Italians
knocked down frequently and also Init
with the butt ends OF rifles This
treatment was not due particularly 90
bad conduct on the part of the prison
ers. but was apparently administered
simply because they were Italians T
These men have one ration Of soup
and bread daily
similar evidence comes from Lerhst .
Anhalt. where Italian prisoners after
five days Journey without food, We're
driven back by Germans with drawn
swords as they We're going 90 get their
s0up allowance A witness testified
that at the Hemelu camp the Italians
were nearly starved, and fought among
themselves for "a piece Of bread thrown
TO them by British prisoners.
At Friedrichsfelde. Province Of Bran
denburg. the treatment of the italian
was equally harbarous. Here seniries
shot Italians for trying 60 get food
from the British prisoners
Equally revolving stories come from
Hammclburgh stendal, Soltau Linn
burg and Hamburg.