Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-06-05
BY FREDERICK C. HOWE,
United States Commissioner Of ImnI.
grafton at New York.

! the United States has held any prison
ers on American soil. And the pris-
oners OF the Civil war were our own
people split asunder by the strife over
slavery. Already there are approx
mately $500 German prisoners In the
United States. They are not captives
In battle. They have never seen the
trenches. but portion of them were
active participants in the war as OIL
GERS 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 20 merchant ships which
had been In the 'harbor of New York
since September. 1914. They had on
board about LOO Germans who were
taken from the ships and interned at
Ellis island. There were other Ger
man ships at Boston. Porto Rico, Pan
anna, while over so 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
stevedores, 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 n war not against the German
people but against the rulers of Prus-
STA.
Moreover. the great majority of
these prisoners were here on peace
full errand; they had come In their
ships, OF which the greatest OF all
was the yaterland. 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 reservlsts. identified with the IA
therlnnh
The great majority OF these prison
ers 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 Prlnz
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
ers. 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
iHfuEN VI fbAutliutAls dNANh WIN Nllti
friends. II they do any industrial
work. they are to be paid on the same
schedule of wages as that paid to off,
GERS and soldiers of the same grade
In the army.
Secretary Of Labor Wilson. when
confronted with the maintenance and
care of 1000 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 dislnterested and nonpunitive
war aims Of America and so humane
that our humanity would serve as
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 informed sea-
men. 1t lies far from the sea and
nestles In the midst of mountain
ranges In western North Carolina.
Other war prisoners are informed at
Fort Mcpherson and Fort Oglethorpe.
Ca, where environments have been
erected similar to those occupied by
troops. These camps were built by the
Germans under direction Of American
officers and are surrounded by stock
AIDES.
Relays of officers and seamen were
transported from New York and Bos-
ton to Hot Springs during the summer
and early fall months OF 1917. and
from out the crews Of the ships all
kinds OF mechanlcians and artisans
were selected. And the German pris-
oners were set to work building their
own camp.
When the work was completed there
u,as rathfpo for the mon m do There