The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-18


will treat him when he greets us with
q ''kamerad."
While the American scheme for han
ding prisoners Of war is still In the
embryo, 1t may be said to be one Of
the best that hasyet been devised. For
months; American army men have been
visiting immense prison colonies In
Great Britain and throughout France.
They studied the systems in use In
both countries, and while they have
found no pronounced defects in the
British system 1t is undoubtedly the
French plan which they will follow
closest in preparing the American
camps. This, it is explained, is quite
natural, as the American government
will be dependent on the French for
location Of the collecting stations, dis
tributing centers and the final quarters
for the barracks. The French have.
three large collecting stations in the
Interior. It is more than likely that
the American forces will be allotted
one Of these stations for Its war pris.
oners until our own are completed and
ready for use.
a Great Experiment. ~#
The handling Of military prisoners
In France has been gigantic expert
ment in sociology. For the past three
years the French government has been
conducting prison camps according to
the newest formulate of group alimen.
tation 1T treats its prisoners somewhat
after. me. tdannet sofs refugees, a popu.
lation, ,mide homeless and hungry by
some disaster. This has been repeated
over and over again 'by every one who
has come to France since the out
break Of the war;, But 1t cannot be
said too often. I have seen during the
early days ofIthe war huge concentra-
ton camps Of homeless Belgians on
the Dutch border. sAs the war pro-
dressed Imade visits to neutral intern
ment camps and saw the living condi-
lions Of Russian, Austrian and Ger
man soldiers From what l have seen
Of French military prison methods I
can say thatsS4 humaneness of treat,
ment, the gosh 1sality Of food, and the
liberty Of movement allowed both Of:
dcers and men no other nation, bellig.
erent. or neutral, which has cared for
great masses of. people during this war
has kqualled the generosity Of France.
1--WE Americans have had a great
deal of experience in sociology more,
perhaps, than any other nation In the
world. We should find it interesting
work, applying our vast knowledge and
experience to a new and unique phase
Of social science" said q high army Of
6cial who has made thorough study
Of prison camp methods in Europe.
He spoke Of the handling Of war pris-
oners as being a real humane problem,
and while emphasizing that war prfs-
onners' camp was not q picnic ground
or q health resort. 1t was at the same
time not a black hole for the breeding
Of diseases and the starving and tor
turing Of human beings, as seemed to
be the Prussian idea. I asked him
whether he thought reprisals' to be a
satisfactory means Of lnsuring better
treatment for prisoners in Germany,
and he answered quickly that Ameri.
ca. would not and cannot enter into
competition with medieval tfyannisnl:
-: Germans earbarous.
sa.eFrench captives In Germany have
endured tremendous, suffering; have
died Of tuberculosis and skin diseases
and of Just plain starvation the world
knows and will long, remember the
story Of that martyrdo1n. Yet despite
such intolerable sufferings of it's men
and the bitter insults and offensive
treatment. with which they were
coupled, theFrench government policy
has not been one Of reprisal or imtta'
zion of German method. German
pisumphleteers were busy several months
mo informing the neutrals and their
ewn populations Of the terrible hard
ships of German and Austrian prison
efs In France and Great Britain
Switzerland sent Investigators and 90
servers to the French camps and they
came home, not merely with reports OF
their observations but filled with en-
thusiasm for. the system Of treatment
the food, sanitary sleeping and Twins
quarters, hours Of labor and opportunl
ties for recreation. The men who have
found shelter in French camps an
quite contented. Aside from the opln
Ton Of the neutral observers, the ties
timony of the prisoners themselves II
the best REPUTATION Of Gernany's allie
cations. No prisoner has yet beer
FOUND who complained.
= 1.-THE American prison camps, com
bining as they will the best Of the Brit
lsh and French systems, are expected
to- be a great object lesson to tile en-
envy in the human treatment of prison
ers of war. AS in the French camps, tn
bread ration will be an ample one. con
0iderably higher than that Of the bes
SATURDAY
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