Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-02
Is IN 4 BAI2BED CAGE VAINLY BEATING WINGS
COMPLAIN OF WHOLLY IMAGINARY ILL-TREATMENT
Expresses Hope That Germany VIII.
Treat American Prisoners of War
as Well as German Prisoners Are
Treated in This Country

in the United States army, in which
he has already served three years.
And in his letter he assures the de-
partment Of his intention to be a
good, faithful American.
There is another who told rue that
he is very glad because he was
interned.
'If the authorities knew the truth"
lie told me in a confidential whisper,
they would have shot me long time
ago." I happen to know that he tried
very hard to save himself from In
ternment by reporting a number Of
Germans to the Department Of JUS
tice.
A third proudly struts about in the
uniform Of French soldier. He
served with the French army In 1914.
and, according to his story. was passed
out for shrapnel wounds. He wears
a gold service stripe and the ribbons
Of several medals, which, he says, he
received for valor. On closer inspec.
ton the ribbons" are made of paper
and artistically colored by him with
crayons. Recently a representative
of the inspector general was in camp.
Our French soldier manufactured a
French flag with the aid Of large
sheet Of white paper, red and blue
pencils. This flag he hung out Of his
barrack window and over it a sign
with the inscription. "Vive la
France!' Before the officer passed.
however. the flag and the Sign had
been torn down by othe. prisoners
and his ardor went unnoticed by the
inspector. This man is an. Alsatian
with a good German nan I. And he
was interned because he made vel
hemently pro-German 81 th. But his
French demonstrations, he thinks,
will procure him a parole.
1t is odd to notice the various oc-
cupations the men have taken up to
pass the monotonous hours till the
war is over. One, formerly a German
aviator with the German forces in
Tsingtau, sits in front If his bar
rack every afternoon and dolefully
serenades the sentries on his either,
which he inherited from n German
sailor who has been transferred to
another camp. His airs are doleful.
first. because he pines for the world
outside, and, secondly. because his
wife has recently sued him for divorce.
Then there Is well-known ath-
lete. who has won his laurels at the
Olympic games, who is al expert
horseman, globe trotter and engineer
by profession. He is also good car
toonist, and, in the seven months Of
his CaptlNlty, mas IlaQe drawings OL
every building in the camp and Off.
GERS, soldiers and prlso. RS alike have
been victims of his versatile pen.
One man has gone extensively into
rabbit culture and has. at present.
thirty-five of the little nibblers. All
of US walt patiently for the first rab.
bit feast. Another Is the proud pos
SCISSOR Of a large litter of cats. Each
Of the felines .wears a colored ribbon
around its neck and each has high
sounding Teutonic name.
Some Of the men study Russian.
some Spanish, some French and many
have taken up English-a branch Of
learning which they had sadly neglect
ed outside. There are regular classes
in the camp. The teachers. of course.
are prisoners, and good teachers they
are. A professor Of chemistry, who
had explored the darkest Polynesian
hiding pdaces, lectures on ethnology;
a former secretary to a president OF
Mexico teaches Spanish; an economist
Of no mean ability has the Russian
class. The captain of German sea
raider. who has the iron cross Of the
first and second class. is the instructor
In navigation and minister of the