Evening star., 1918-06-29
81 CENTS A DAY
PER |NTERNED HUN
Internment Camps Not a Big
Item in Americas
War Budget.
SELF-sUPP0RTING IN PART
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1918. by N. 7. Evening Post Coz
HOT SPRINGS. N. c., June Is
Tsing-Tau and a brass band and a
German internment camp in the
mountains Of North Carolina do not
seem offhand to have any connection
with each other, but such are the vi
cissitudes of war that the United
States government is today taking
care Of thirty-six musicians who played
for the German garrison at Kai-chow
before it fell into the hands of the
Japanese.
The Germans had the foresight to
have themselves enrolled as members
Of the Red Cross. Consequently when
the Japanese captured the place, the
German band asked to be returned to
Germany as non-combatants, a re-
quest with which the japanese COM
piled.
Decided to Stay Here.
So they started across the Pacific
and stopped in the United States en-
route to Germany. This country was
neutral at the time, and our Depart
ment of State made inquiry of the
British government concerning safe
passage across the Atlantic, but here
the British said nay and wouldn't
guarantee anything, SO the Germans
decided to sojourn in America.
They went from city to city giving
concerts, and were enjoying them
selves. But when war broke out be-
tween the United States and Germany
they were promptly interned, for be-
sides being musicians there are chem
lists and bomb experts and persons
gifted in occupations that might, II
practiced. produce considerable mis-
chief. They are Of much less concern
with their occasional band concerts
inside the camp.
There's probably not another COM
munity like this in the country. Be-
sides having a fne brass band and
an orchestra and mandolin and guitar
players. there are doctors. dentists,
tailors. plumbers. electricians. gas
lists, cooks. bricklayers and car
penters.
Built Their Own Houses.
In fact. most Of these Germans
seem to be carpenters. Judging by the
little houses they have built. They
have achieved the most artistic ef-
fects by building a row of dozen or
more arbor-like structures fenced
about and adorned with little garden
man village. and the Germans have
selected a mayor. to whom all plans
must be submitted before anybody is
permitted to erect another house.
Presumably it wouldn't be German II
there weren't a number of "verboten"
signs about, and with cynical humor
the occupants have put up about
every kind of prohibition they have
ever known, from Keep of the
grass" to mo loafing allowed" and
II there's one thing which the Ger
mans seem to be doing morning. noon
and night, It's smoking. There are
pipes Of every age and odor.
The little houses which they have
CONSTRUCTED are ar ,,.a.nd erudely fusnlshed
debris. The Germans rummaged In
the big piles of rubbish which they
found back of the old, rundown hotel
here, and cleaned 1t up. Everything,
from chimney bricks to lattices and
condensed milk cans, seemed to have
a use.
Tin Covering for Hut.
one man hammered sout about q
hundred cans, ana CoVereu his nut
with a silverlilse exterior. which glis-
tens In the sun. Another fashioned
windmill for himself. There he sits
most of the day reading. Another was
content with a box-shaped house
about two feet wide and three feet
long: no, larger hardly than dolls
house, but he put a big sign Tailor
Shop" on the outside. and repairs
clothes for his compatriots. Another
III oil dav n ciyr1i1o
workshop, making fancy boxes and
carving souvenirs. Still another busies
himself at the easel. drawing marine
views.
the many kinds of bugs and caterpil-
lars and butterflies that have invaded
the camp since spring. Another man
proudly showed me glass jars full of
rattlesnakes he had caught. All the
Germans seem to be fond of animal
pets. A year ago somebody brought a
pair of rabbits. And now the camp is
{a,ll of them There are plentY of