The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1918-07-02

q
preston of a serious shortage of food
and other referring TO the food sup
ply as not inadequate But he tell:
me there Is an amazing uniformity
OF statement as TO unbroken German
morale and staunchness OF spirit, not
withstanding the hardships and large
casualties.
Outgoing mail is strictly censored
The Germans are permitted TO write
twice a week. and letters of not more
than two pages in length. They can
correspond only with their nearest re-
latives. and are not able 10 write any,
thing except their own personal af-
fairs and treatment.
But while their letters might pass
the American censor. there is no TEL
ling what the German censor will do
TO the correspondence when il reach
es Germany. For the Germans in
termed here could tell about demo.
crazy in their own camp. 10 the folks
back home
Here no caste system is reeogni-
zed. There are 20 sea captains,
scores Of chief engineers. second and
third officers. pursers. doctors. chief
stewards and cooks. wireless opera
tors, elcetrians and ordinary seaman.
bu' SO tar as the United States gov
eminent IS concerned they are EQUALS.
J. Kemp Bartlett, Jr.. who is d.
rector OF the camp. conceived the idea
early OF giving the Germans a real
taste OF democracy. To simplify the
matter of complaints and interior or
sanization, he decided that there
should be a kind of self-goyerning
committee. Promptly the captains
assumed that on account of their
rank they would control and manage
But Mr.. Bartlett insisted that the
committee had to be representative.
and had 10 be chosen by all classes
and ranks. The sea captains remain
ed contemptuously out of the ar
until one day there were
some choice rooms TO distribute and
some privileges to give, and Mr.. Bart
le.t unhesitatingly left these matters
TO the supervising committee to ar
range, After that the captains were
The spirit of democracy seems TO
BE- taking much better with the mem
Ders of the crews than with the off
'ers. although the American officials I
here not infrequently soliloquize on
What would be the effect OF turning
back among the German people q
zee of their informed brethren who
nave in the last year or so learned
about American freedom
Ind equality The men informed here
ire not military prisoners. but mer-
liant sailors. many Of whom had got :
obs on American ships and were sen. .
here for safety's sake-not that they
we're caught doing anything but be-
ause they were potential enemies.
They have been conspicuously I'M
TO the few agitator that
rave crept in among them, and il
would be great mistake If our gov
rnment mixed these men in with the
,omb plo.ters. spies and practiced
ierman agents who are imprisoned
( For; 0glethorpe, where all the Ger
mans now here are to be sent on
uly l. So far as possible. they ought
0 be segregated at Fort Oglethorpe
r the propagandists will be source
{ embarrassment to our military au-
horities who take charge on that
ate.
To nineteenth of the Germans here
he forthcoming journey TO Fort 0g-
ethorpe is a voyage" for theoreti-
ally the camp has always been
hip to them. II is run on ships
ime, and inside the barracks the sal
ors refer TO direction as fore" and
aft" or "amidships" when they re-
uest permission TO cut down some