Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-07

on while it was still damp. Colds
were naturally unavoidable. The
medical attention given US was abb
surd. The crazy colonel himself
made a point of being present at
almost all medical examinations,
and completely dominated the ply
siciaus, who cringed before him.
He was fond of saying that only the
lazy ones pretended to be i'll; that
the camp itself was the best sani-
forum. and hard work the best
cure-all.
In spite of his brutality, the col
Cnel had his sentimental streaR>.
The following anecdote is illustrate
i've: A Frenchman, 70 years Of age,
was occupied in paving the street
Of the camp. The colonel passed
by. and, as the old fellow did not
seem 10 him to be working dill
gently enough, he stepped up and
gave him a tremendous box on the
ear. The old man said nothing, but
took out of his pocket a little Ger
tificate, from which it appeared
that he was i'll and only capable of
a small amount of work. The col
onel was much moved. almost to
the point of tears. He gave the old
man eight days of exemption from
all labor. But that was rather cold
comfort.
Camp Holzminden was frequent
~ visited by General HaehnisCh
and other officials. However, they
never looked at the prisoners quar-
ters, except in the most perfume
tory way. They merely strutted
through the barracks, watched the
laborers at work, and then di-
rected all their attention to the
cial interest of Colonel Gallus,
were royalty treated in their pens,
and certainly led a much happier
life than the prisoners, until they
were slaughtered for the officers
mess.
Even the women are not spared.
Lately conditions have become still
worse. | am told. For instance,
they are put at braiding and I'M
braiding fish nets, and the only puT-
pose of the taSkmasters seems to
be 10 make their fingers sore. Ev-
cry Sunday. a weird walk is under
taken. TO a wood about six kilomet-
eTs away. from which they bring
back wood on their backs Hun
dreds Of men and women are put at
this work every Sunday. although
IL could easily be done by wagon
and two horses. In fact. the big
gest part of the labor demanded of
the prisoners is almost wholly un-
productive, and serves no purpose
save II torture. If any of them
dare to COMPLAIN, thew are sub
iected To certain peculiar punish
ments. of which the most frequent
cell called the bug room" a place
filled with old straw mattresses and
sacks. which simply swarms with
vermin and lice
For some unknown reason. there
hadEbeen no shooting in Camp HOlz-
when / last heard. In
nearby camp at Binerbach. I well
remember Of the shooting Of an IS
vear-old French lad, in the summer
of 1917. Because he. for an instant,
stopped work. his guard, a stupid,
half-insane fellow, pointed his wea-
pom at him and fired The whole
garrison was highly incensed by
the killing, But when the general
was told of it. he came to see the
guard. slapped him on the Shout
der, and said: You did your
duty" Shortly afterward the guard
received a promotion.
Among the prisoners. none was
more badly treated than the group
of young Russian students, of which
was one Their moral and physi-
cal sufferings were hardly 70 be
depicted. For four years they have
been shut out Of the world. Their
priceless. splendid years of youth
have flown by. JOY. health.
strength. and education have been
denied 10 them. The war relief or
carnations would undertake a
great and wonderful work of broth
arhood if they could obtain the re-
lease OF these wholly innocent war
captives, by putting the matter be
fore rhp V~0Dpr ant bOri+;pS