The Monticellonian., 1918-03-22
By FREDERICK c. HOWE, United States Commissioner of inmi-
 grafton at New York

United States Commissioner Of immi-
 grafton at New Yerk-
 It has been nearly sixty years since the United States has held any prison CTS on American soil. And the prls- oners of the Civil war were our own people split asunder by the strife over slavery. Already there are approN- mately $500 German prisoners h the United States They are net captiyes in battle. They have never seen the trenches but portion of them were active participants in the war as oifl- cers and seamen on the German sea raider Prinz Eitel Friedrich. which ventured into Hampton Roads for coal and supplies in July. 1914. But the great majority of our prisoners of war are officers and sailors, the stewards and employees of the Ger man merchant vessels which were seized by our government immediate ly on the declaration of war and men who are held as suspects who have been arrested in various parts of the country.
 There were % merchant ships which had been in the harbOr of New York since September, 1914. They had on board about HOO Germans who were taken from the ships and informed at Ellis island. There were other Ger man ships at Boston. Porto Rico, Pan anna, while over 90 Germans were brought across the Pacific to New York from the harbor of Kiaouchou, captured by the Japanese. Since the outbreak of the war, too, German and Austrian subjects, from bankers to steyedores. have been arrested as alien enemies and placed in temporary de- tention at various places throughout the United States awaiting final action by the government.
 We were new in war methods-un- prepared for prisoners of war. And whatever the treatment of Germany to American prisoners. the United States determined that German prisoners held here should be treated on the assumption of the president that this was war not against the German people but against the rulers of Prus- Sia
 Moreover, the great majority of these prisoners were here on a peace ful errand; they had come in their ships. of which the greatest of all was the Vaterland, now the Leviathan. and were marooned in American waters. They remained by their ships for nearly three years But they were trained men. Many or all of them were reservists, identified with the fla theriand
 The great majority of these prison CTS were held for six months at the Ellis island immigration station in New York and on an island in Boston harbor under the Jurisdiction of the United States immigration authorities. The officers and sailors of the Prinz Eitel Friedrich were first taken to Philadelphia and then to Fort Ogle- thorpe, Ga.
 Under the provisions of The Hague tribunal, agreed to by all the pow CTS. prisoners of war have certain rights. They may not be compelled to work at anything that will con tribute to the military activities of the government They are to have means of communication with their friends. If they do any industrial work. they are to he paid on the same schedule of wages as that paid to off, cers and soldiers of the same grade in the army.
 Secretary of Labor Wilson, when confronted with the maintenance and care of 2.o00 German subjects placed under his care, many of whom had wives in this country, decided that the United States should set standard of prison administration in harmony with the disinterested and nonpunitive war aims of America and so humane that our humanity would serve as a means of protection to American sol diers who might become prisoners of war in German camps.
 Camps Built by Germans.
 Hot Springs, in the mountains of North Carolina, was selected as an in ternment camp for the interned sea men. It lies far from the sea and nestles in the midst of mountain ranges in western North Carolina.
 Other war prisoners are interned at Fort MePherson and Fort 0glethorpe. Ga. where cantonments have been erected similar 10 those occupied by troops. These camps were built by the Germans under direction of American officers and are surrounded by stock ades.
 Relays of officers and seamen were transported from New York and Ros. ton to Hot Springs during the summer and early fall months of 1917. and from out the crews of the ships all kinds of mechanicians and artisans were selected. And the German pris- oners were set to work building their own camp.
 When the work was completed there was nothing for the men to do. There was no provision for activities except such sports as the men themselves might devise. A large number were employed in the kitchen; they kept the place in order; some ran the pumping engines others looked after the water supply, plumbing and electricity Practically all the work inside tn, camp is performed by the Germans. JEERS SOLDIERS: IS FthEE