Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-11-24
BRITISH PRISONERS d
MISERABLY TREATED
corrcspondcnt Describes Returning
Men as Ragged and Hungry Fol
lowing Release From Camps.
STARTED OFF WITHOUT FOOD
rroops Told TO Go 10 Allied Lines
Minus TranspOrta ton Fec and
Clothing.

LONDON, Nov. 23.-Pitiable COM
rrons among British prisoners OF
,,r who have been liberated by the
Germans since the signing Of the ar
,ris,ic, are described by Reuters
,orraspondent at French headquar-
,srs thousands OF these men, most
q british. are entering France daily.
The correspondent writes:
"l have never seen human beings
NJ sucn a state OF raggedness, hun
''pr and misery. When the camp at
,or,a.h, So miles east OF Metz as
y,u a, lause elsewhere wers broken
tnr prisoners, most OF whom were
r,u,grrJ during the March often
st,, were tod to clear out and seek
hslr from their allies. They started
m wllk the 80 or 80 miles TO the al
lied lines. hut were given no food
and had no money. They were in
shameful rags. the soles dropping
off their boots. Some wore clogs
and no socks.
Depart by Hundreds.
'They eft the prison camps in
droycs OF hundreds in charge OF
German officers and soldiers who
L
cold and many died by the roadside
with n a few miles from friends.
When the survivors entered the
French lines, French soldiers. who
Ver. hardened warheroes, were hor-
rited to see men In such IA plight.
II is not doubted that this suffering
was Intentionally imposed upon the
British. Prisoners OF other nation
ali,.cs are agreed that the British
we're treated worse than the other
prisoners az all German camps"
A further report OF Sir Robert
Youngers committee dealing with
the treatment of British prisoners in
the Goa! and salt mines OF Germany,
gives narrowing deeails of brutal
treatment by the Germans. This re-
port Gays
From testimony scarcely a month
old, II rs evident that there Is no
sign 0f improvement whatever in the
treatment of prisoners in Germany.
This disgrace Is open and flagrant
and the only possible inference is
that Berlin deliberately approves of
L. There is no doubt that work In
the mines IS inflicted as punishment.
Here is an extract from letter dated
May 20, last, from a British private
soldier:
Worked to Death.
ave have had little to eat since
we left lIameln. Two OF our num-
Der have gone to the hospital with
broken arms and the remainder are
suffering from cuts on their heads
and bruises as the result OF floggings
they received at the last place. | fell
In a faint unable TO work any longer
last Saturday, and the man in
charge, a civilian. kicked me back
into my senses and Kept me down in
the mine l6 hours after all my gang
had gone up. IL you could only see
the boys here! They all look like
Head men. They are worked to
DEATH"
The record OF daily promiscuous
violence might be much further IL
ustrated. To scores OF men who
have given evidence concerning the
, mining camps. kicks, blows and in
suits became part OF the normal
routine Here Is an example OF the
testimony OF a man who had been
1t one OF the Hameln salt mines: @.
In January, 1918, I refused to
complete my task as | was a physical
impossibility I was taken out OF
the mine dressed only IN shirt and
drawers-it is too hot in the mines
to wear anything else-and put for
the night in a hut which was not
weather proof. In the-morning 1t
was half full OF snow. The next
day was taken to the mine and
again beaten until I had finished my
TASK. received nothing to eat from
the time | went down into the mine
on the first morning until IL o'clock
the next afternOon