Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
Interned Civilians Build Play
Village in Mountains Of
North Carolina.
MAY CONSTRUCT ROADS
Life at Hot Springs Intcrnment
Camp, on French Broad River,
Not Wholly Idle.
Bi FREDERICK c. HowE.
United States CommIsnioncr or InImi-
grafton ut NcW York.

II has been nearly sixty years since
| tho United States has held any pris-
oncrs OF war on American SOIL. And the
prisoners OF the War Between the
states were our own people split asunder
by the strife over slavery. Already
there arc approximately $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
"ar as officers and searien on the Ger
man sea raider PrinH Eitcl Frederick.
which vcntured into Hampton Roads for
coal supplies in July, 1914. But the
great majority OF our prisoners Of
war are officers and sailors, the
stewards and employees OF the German
merchant vessels which were seized
b. our government Immediately on tho
declaration of war and men who are
held suspects who have been ar
rested in various parts OF the country.
There were t~cnty-nne merchant
ships which had been in the harbor
Of New York since September, 1915
They had on board about 100 Germans
who were taken from the ships and
interned "a; ELLIS Island. There were
other German ships AT Boston Porto
Rico Panama rhi,o or.r o.., 60
mans we,o hrouyh, ,,-o., p;o
10 Ecw York srcr, ,,o ,-.
chou. canturcd bv no J,,,,oso S,.
the outh-c,l, ~ ,re w., 80
and Austrian s,,h,oc.s 49,,
stevcdo-es INV. h.., ..a,
enemies and rIac.I j., ,o,,,,, -,
.n,.io, .,
;ho l.o;,e, $50.
.i,,, VA, 49,, ro.o.
"
prepared for pr;.o,o-. Of w.r ,n,;
whatever TIVE treatment or C;a-o,.,y
to American prisoners. the United
;,tt"S determined that German prison
'Fs ned mere should be treated on ;hc
assumption OF the President that this
was war, not against the German
people, out ageins, rulers y Prussia.
WAJoItTI or PRISONERS
IRE tIyuI>ys
N,,, ,
,r,,,,.-
rama. ,t.v h,, 90 :,
,,,ich 80 VI
,.s IN. -,
,, =. 80. 80 "'"
,, 81,
o. 'e'
-, ~ -"
iio,,;s,a ~, 49,. 49,
MI.
~. ~. ho,I -
I,,;. J.,.r, ,:,,
Hcw york and ~ ,sIa,
ha-hor urd.- ,ha ,,,r,ra,.,;
United states i,,,irr,,ior n,,..,;
I'll. orce-s ,,d .ai,ors 49,, -.
r.i,., Friedrich wern a.. 49,, ,'~
thor. -.
VI inisoHE hs
10 BE MODEL
'hosr the provisions OF The Hague
tribunal. agreed to by all the powers.
prisoners OF war have certain rights.
Ihey may not be compelled tc work
at anything that Will contribute to tine
In'iitary activities OF the government
lheS are 10 nave means of commune
! ea''on win their friends. II they do
any industrial work, they are to be
PAID on the same schedule OF wages
as that paid to officers and soldiers Ct
mo same grace In the army. The
prisoner of war is helpless. He can
not protect himself: and while The
hague Tribunal accomplished little for
provision for the protection of pris-
| oners CT war; and Secretary of Labor
wilson when confronted with main
tehance and care OF 1000 German sub
'ects placed under his care. many OF
"hom had wives In this country, de-
olaen mat the United States should
SET standard of prison admnistra-
'ion In harmony with the disinterestcd
ana nonpunitive war aims of Amer
va ana SO humane that our humanity
o".u serve as means CT protection
,oai soioiers who might he
OF war In German
cn.,,. INC neutral nation OF
Corr, inc representative OF
,he ro,,-a '.''' mater she is also
in the ,ro,no,;a, ."s Ch''e" states
who NAV haoo - lnner'cah soldiers
many, and the knowledge Of onr ,ras,