The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-22
Interned French Artists Paint
Life in German Army Camps
By Will B. tombstone.

Somewhere in Switzerland is little
group of valiant souls, relics of what
were once valiant French and Bel
gian soldiers. They are human scrap.
the hopeless incurables who have
poured out the sweet, red wine of
youth in the great war and now await
In exile repatriation, or that kinder
ilberation--dcath.&
These men areAartsts whose flow
ering talents and slmbitions were ar
rested, blighted and crushed by
Prussian plague and krupption. They
come from German prison camps and
have been encouraged by the Swiss to
work that is designated their intel
lectual property"
Bravely struggling against infirmi-
ties. they have produced IA number
of paintings, etchings and sketches
which have been brought here by the
Swiss American committee for the re
lief of allied prisoners and are on ex-
hibstisn at knoedler's gallery, No 500
Firth avenue, New York
The paintings are especially inter-
esting as the first intimate pictorial
record of German prison camp life to
reach New York. They make YOU see
the cruelty and the sufferings of iso-
lation endured by the captive and
give an insight into what our boy
may expect should they reach these
camps.
For the first time we are taken in
side of the prisno buildings. see the
mon in their prison garh, green gray
with yellow brassard on the left arm,
and note the scaut comforts they are
provided.
Georges Rauet shows an interior of
Camp Holamindeu, Three prisoners
are grouped around n table between
the sleeping bunRs. Tho beds one
row Of mortar boxes, flush With the
floor with similar row on top, chest
high, are of Imprinted wood, mission
effect The springs are resilient eight
inch planks from the Black forest,
omission effect. Each mattress. about
the size of second base, is folded in
one end of the bed stall and covered
by doll blanket. You can inspect
the articles of clothing hung on "a
line strung up under the low ceiling
and appreciate hiatt dinky little closet
in your apartment uptown. One pris-
oner reads an old French newspaper
to his homesick companions. Two
wear wooden shoes, which seem to
he the style. And with all this wood
work the most surprising thing is
that the Germans have not INDUCED
their passion for whitewash. But,
then, they need all Of that for the
kaiser
Rauet also has Il sketch called
'Causette an Grillase.' which shows
the inhumau side of German camp
restriction. \ soldier stands forlorn-
ly pressed against wire screen bar
rier' trying to talk TO his wife. This
is an exterior and indicates the char
acter Of the prison shaclls the crazy
corduroy walks tmore Black forest1,
mucky grounds and general at
naOsphere of desoiation.
Henry Rogeroi, French, has six
1prisoh pictures Of Camp Holzmingen.
and his work shows a mind obsessed
by the tragedy of his experience
there. One Sanvas Is a bitter indict-.
ment of German cruelty In the treat
ment Of her prisoners. This large
composition represents h bearded
French prisoner tightly goped ~ Il
stake He stands in "A astrained posi-
ton, bound by the waist and knees
with his arms stretched awkwardly
back around the post. his hands dashed
tbEether. TlRe sun is sinking behind
the shoulder OF mountain IN the hack
ground, and its hast rays gid the tor