The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-07-15
TREAT CAPTIVE
GERMANS KINDLY
French Generous to Prisoners De-
spite Brutal Course of
Enemy.
ARE GLAD TO Be OUT OF II
Sight Of Long American Columns De.
stroys Hun Hopes Of vIctory-LIve :
Like Happy Family in
Prison Camp.

With the American Forces In France
France knows that her prisoners Il
Germany are treated badly, but Ger
man prisoners are treated humanel,
and even generously in French pris
ons just the same, writes Don Martil
in the New York Herald. I asked
an officer in charge Of French prison
camp why this is, and he shrugged
his shoulders and said merely:
"Ahr"
Unless one could see the gesture
accompanying the monosyllable he
would hardly know what meaning to
attach to it. It really meant:
ooh, what's the use of being bru-
tai to individuals just because some
one else is? We wish we could, but
we can't"
I have inspected several prisons,
some large and some small, and in
every one I have found the Germans
treated quite as well as civil prisoners
in normal times and in many instances
better. Officers are not Inundated in
any way. In fact they receive better
treatment, a stranger would think,
than they are really entitled to.
Prisoners Live Happily.
On low hill about 1000 feet from
main road of France stands prison
five low wooden buildings surround
ed by two barbed wire fences, with
armed pickets always patrolling out
side. Here are 200 Germans, many Of
them prisoners taken in the early bat
tie of the Somme, but some taken
more recently. They are all privates
and constitute as happy family as
one could find where personal liberty
is the one thing desired and denied.
The Germans stood at their barbed
fences hours at a time and watched
the endless line of soldiers. When 1t
was the blue of France that was NOV
ing past the Germans were not particu-
larry interested: They had seen that
for years. They know France always
has had an endless line of everything
needed for war; But when they saw
the khaki of America filing or rolling
by for a whole day and then for an
other, and heard the muddy shuttle of |
feet through the night, there was a |
change in the dull expression of those
German eyes. 1t was at this time that
went to the prison to learn what they
thought of what they had seen. First
t should be stated that these prisoners
see little of recent developments in
he war. They must form their opin-
,oh fro ,fc Of
ion as they hear from their keepers
Ind from what they see, as, for in
stance, from the long, long line Of
Americans, the first they had seen.
In this particular prison the new
omers had brought the news situation
lp to early spring, but as for the big
ffensive the prisoners knew only that
here probably would be one.
Americans Surprise Germans.
When I asked II there was German
mong the two hundred who could
peak English, good looking young
ian, with typical Teutonic mustache,
ed cheeks, glow Of health, was call
d out He stepped into my presence
Ike an automaton, clicked his heels to-
ether and saluted the French captain.
lie told me he was private; that he /.
as home in Lucerne, Switzerland;
lat he fought eight months. but was
ever wounded that he Is in the whole
lie dry goods business in Berlin, and
lat he does business with John Wanna
aker, Marshall Field and Stern
rothers.
"What do you think Of all the Ameri-
ms you have seen pasr ng here recent
p asked him.
II have seen many Americans" he
i'd. II was surprised that you have :
many In France"
Another prisoner, less prepossessing
appearance than the first, was asked
,out things in general. He spoke
nglish poorly. {
II live in Berlin and work in a bank,
it was in the war for two years.
hen the war is over am going to =
vitzerland to live. would go to .
nerica, but they don't like Germans r
er there any more"
"Why are you going to leave Ger
any?"
For an answer there was shrug Of
oulders and half scowl, half smile.
re you satisfied here?"
'Tt's lot better than being in
ave where q lot of them are"