New-York tribune., 1918-11-29
American Relief Workers
Carrying Supplies to Re-
leased Prisoners
Hope to Aid Sufferers
Big Motors Swinging Along
Roads to Main Detention
Camps
By Wilbur Forrest
Tribune Gable Se,.vice


Copyright. 1915 New York Tribune Incl
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY OF
OCCUPATION, Nov. 2S - To prevent
American war prisoners from dying of
hunger and exposure after release from
prison camps in the far interior of Ger
many, big American motor trucks are
swinging along German roads to-day
in the direction of Mannheim
Assuming that our men are in the
same condition as the released prison
ers OF other nationalities. shoes, bully
beef, hardtack, bandages and cigarettes
have been loaded into Red Crbss motor
trucks and are not only en- route to meet
them in the German interior, but are
patrolling every road along the Swiss
frontier where they are likely to cross
the friendly border.
On November II, according to the
Spanish Embassy, 2.545 Americans were
released from German prison camps.
the greatest of which is located at Ras-
TAFT. This prison released 1900 pri-
Yates. Many of our officers were re-
leased from Villengen, while others
were permitted to leave the sixteen
various camps in different parts of the
former German empire
Figures Believed Low
These figures as to the number of
American prisoners are believed low,
because those taken in the fighting a
lew days before the signing of the
armlstlce were not enumerated. The
Americans hold $4,000 German prison
erS.
=, The routes which our men are like
nest 10 take centre about Mannheim,
and 1T IS toward this point that the
nam Red Cross relief work is converg-
ing. Mannheim, however, remains in
tAe hands of the Socialist revolution
lists.
Food is scarce. All roads and rail
ways are congested by the movements
OF the returning German army. The
weather in Germany is extremely cold
which, together with reports of pris-
oners of other nationalities dying along
me roadsides, caused the Red Cross,
with General Pershing's permission, to-
make extraordinary efforts to cope with
me situation. This work should ease
the minds cf the fathers and mothers
of American boys who have become
ala med at the plight of other return
ms prisoners, who, possibly like our
men, were turned loose and told to
shift for themselves.
Entered Metz Before Armistice
DR.. f. F. Pope, of Spokane, Wash,
who IS in charge of one of these trucks,
left Metz to proceed until he meets
groups of struggling Americans. DR..
Pope's truck carried large quantities
of medical supplies, thousands of
cigarettes and other army Injuries.
l learned to-day that DR. Pope en-
tered Metz the day before the armistice
was signed. Although he was fred on
repeatedly. he took a motor truck load
Of supplies to the American wounded
in the Metz hospital German paper
bandages and paper dressings were re-
moved from wounds of the injured men
there by DR.. Pope, who redressed them
with American absorbent cotton and
cloth bandages
When the news of the signing of the
arristice was received, the following
day, there was stirring scene in the
hospital, where weak, fever-tossed pa
tients threw back their blankets, sat
up as best they could and sang "The
StarSpangled Banner" until they be-
came exhausted.
DR.. Pope and his Red Cross associ-
ates before starting out made arrange
ments to provide q real Thanksgiving
for the men who are walking back to
freedom.