Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-04-05
BY FREDERICK c. HOWE,
United States Commissioner of Immi-
grafton at New York.

grafton at New York.
It has been nearly sixty years since
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 a portion Of them were
active participants in the war as Off
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 % 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 informed at
Ellis island. There were other Ger
man ships at Boston, Porto Rico, Pan
anna, while over so Germans we're
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 war not against the German
people but against the rulers Of Prus-
STA.
Moreover, the great majority Of
these prisoners were here on a peace
full errand; they had come in their
ships, of which the greatest Of all
was the Vaterland, 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 reservists, identified with the IA
therland
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 Prinz
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
means Of communication with their
friends. If 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 a standard
Of prison administration in harmony
with the disinterested and nonpunitive
war aims of America and so humane
that our humanity would serve as a
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 interned sea
men. It lies far from the sea an6
nestles in the midst of mountain
ranges in western North Carolina.
Other war prisoners are interned al
Fort Mcpherson and Fort Oglethorpe
Ga, where environments have beer
erected similar to those occupied b,
troops. These camps were built by the
Germans under direction of American
officers and are surrounded by stock
AIDES.
Relays of officers and seamen wer,
transported from New York and Bos
ton to Hot Springs during the summe
and early fall months of 1917. am
from out the crews of the ships al
kinds Of mechanicians and artisan
were selected. And the German pris
oners were set to work building thei
own camp.
When the work was completed Their
was nothing for the men to do. Their
was no provision for activities excen
such sports as the men themselye