The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-03
BY MARTIN GREEN,
(Sta6 Correspondent Of The mtell1sencer
and New York worldly

|
| During my stay in Fr;Irr2 | saw tens "t
thousands of German prisoners At work
| IN variousp arts OF the country. and on
only Two occasions did ] Sre gangs that
were really bcingpu shed in the course
of their labor. Both these gangs were
working on American jobs under the
!! direction OF American officers.
On a tour along the lines OF communi-
cation during q lull in activities at the
front was accompanied by all Amcri-
can officer who had been In FRANCO only
n few days. AS We progressed through
the stirring scenes of activity. ASSOC
ciatcd with tho necessary task of storing
and shipping supplies to our troops ON
the battle line. the officer remarked
time and again on the sleek slow NOV
Ing German prisoners We encountered
, on every hand.
They don't look like prisoners to me-
said the officer finally They look Ike
guests"
In their treatment Of prisoners Of war
the French authorities adhere TO ell the
rules laid down by The Hague couven-
ton. and then some The British also
treat their German prisoners with the
consideration called for by the principles
Of civilized warfare. Stories told by re-
turned prisoners do not indicate that
Germany rcciprocates.
In Western and Southern France Ger
man prisoners have been turned over to
farmers for field work. These prisoners
are unguarded and unmatched Ere
Quently have seen one Of them taking
a sicsta under a tree. with his horses
resting in the shade close at hand. In
the main, however. they arc good work
ers and their aid has been material
factor in producing bumper crops In
France this season. These prisoners arc
generally men OF middle age. who have
worried on their own farms in Germany.
, are selected from the best behaved and
most Industrious prisoners in camps.
Kept Safely Out Of Battle Range.
Never havo I seen German prisoners
at work within the rang, Of gunfire
from the front. The FTcp authorities
adhere scrupulously to rule that
prisoners are not to be g ,sed 10 the
dangers of battle In II retreats OF
German soldiers pressing n from the
north and cast toward l arts German
prisoners who had been at work in
threatened areas were the first to reach
the safe zone. preceding BY hours and
sometimes day the French civilian refu-
gees. The French refugee refuses to
leave his home until no IS convinced
that the Germans are right on top OF
him. Thanks to the added strength OF
the allies. duo to reinforcements from
the United States. there Is reasonable
certainty that the days Of long process
sions Of homeless French peasants flee
ing before advancing German armies
will never come again IN France. for the
Germans will never be able to retake the
territory they have abandoned since tho
lit to
tine.
With few exceptions, German prison.
ers ore doclle and easy to handle. They
soon ind that food Is plentiful. working
hours are reasonable and quarters for
sleeping are clean and comfortable. Dur
Ing the coolest days or last winter, down
in the Vosges district. German prison
camps were about the most cheerful
looking spots on the landscape in the
carly twilight with blue smoke Sp0uting
from chimneys and lights beginning TO
twinkle through windows. Seldom does
q German prisoner try to escape. Near
~ all Of them are probably glad to be
out OF the war. The few who rofuse
to work are confined in barbed wire in
closures and put on a punishment diet.
form Of treatment which quickly
brings them to association with toll.
Prisoners Help Build Roads and Ware
houses.
On one Of our big construction prof.
ects in France We have small army
Of German prisoners employed in the
construction Of warehouses and bar
racks and the building Of roads. Tho
Germans are In charge Of American
non-commissloned officers and soldiers
who have had experience in construc-
ton work All these Americans are
hustlers and they keep the Germans
hustling more by Influence OF en-
ample than by methods OF intimIda-
ton or pressure. This project fur
rishes one Of the tho two instances Of
Germans really working hard that camo
under my observation.
The prisoners on this job put in a
tenlhour day, but they got three
quarters Of an hour off in the late after
noon-from 5 o'clock to 3:3o--for
rest and smoke. Tho American off,
GERS in charge tried to abolish the
afternoon rest. but the French au-
thorities IN control Of the prisoners
directed that It be allowed.
During the great German offensive
in May the prisoners in the camp
kept pretty we'll Informed about the
progress Of the German armies. News
papers from Paris reached the car
on affairs by listening to conversations
between our officers and soldiers. When
the news came that the Germans had
reached the Marnc the prisoners In
dulgcd In juhilation and ono OF them.
who spoke English. delivered himself
OF remarks about the allies which caused
On American soldier to knock him down
The German prisoners protested tn
the officer In charge of the work and
demanded that they he allowed to
send n complaint to the French war
office IN Paris. The complaint WIS for
wardcd and in a few days three French
officers appeared for tho purpose Of con-
Quoting an investigation. They found
that tho American VAS justified. hut
conveyed the impression to the officer
in command that the French government
should be notified OF cases Of insuhordi-
nation or improper conduct. This :n-
cdent illustrates how carefully tho
French government looks after prison
ers Of war and stands ont in striking
contrast TO the indiGntics .and assaults
perpctrated on prisoners in Germany,
which arc condoncd and oven encouragc,l
according TO reports given ny returned
OF escaped prisoners. by the German
high command.
YGnhee Method Keeps Prisoners
HustHng.
Tho second instance of German prie-
oners working ut top speed is 10 b.
found at one of our ports of trharkatiuu
whore we have transformed Il Sleepy
French harhor into Il great ccntcr OF m
dustry. At this point the United States
army employs thousands Of negro Strva-
dorcs who have hccn trained on .hr