The Washington times., 1919-09-30

! aside from being ofterSd rott1nB
food that no real human being could
eat and having their American
clothes and parcels stolen from them,
American prisoners Of war in Ger
many were treated as mercifully as
the barbarian's code viii allow, That
Is, there was no systematic or au-
| thOrized physical abuse Of the thirty
/ six hundred Americans who were in
| the hands OF the Germans when the
aFmistice was signed November II,
/ 1918. And there was very praci-
cal and Hunnish reason for this dis
| elimination In favor OF the Yank,
| according to the first authoritative
\ public statement Of actual conditions
I in German prison camps, just issued
/ by Carl p. bennett, Of Boston, who,
as deputy American Red Cross COM
missioner to Switzerland, had charge
/ Of feeding, clothing, and caring for
! American prisoners Of war.
Here is that reason in Mr.. Den
/ nett's own words:
ave always had in America more
German agents IN prison or intern
ment camps than the total OF all
| American prisoners, civil and MILF
tsry, in the hands OF the Germans,
/ and among these civilian prisoners
j
| est esteem and friendship BY the
leaders OF the Prussian military
party"
Red Cr0g8 Prevented Starvation.
Before q false impression Is gain
ed from the statement that Americans
were not treated with the studied
brutality that the French, Italian,
Russian, or Rumanian prisoners were
subjected TO, let these words from
the same report IinEeF in memory:
The American prisoners would
have starved to death II IL had not
been for the food parcels sent to
them through our organization at
Berne. The German army received
the best OF everything in abundance
land under a special agreement be-
tween the United States and Ger
many, American prisoners were to
receive the same rations given the
German soldiers). Our prisoners were
offered spoiled fish-usually seal
meat or dOgfish-blOOd sausages or
sausages made from the entrails Of
animals, sometimes hOrsemeat, sub
stitute coffee, substitute mustard,
bread made from potato flour, saw
dust, and similar ngredients-abso-
lutely the worst, foul-smelling, i'll
looking bread have ever seen-bone
meal, and thin watery soups.
The condition Of the Italian, Rus
sian and Rumanian prisoners who did
not receive food supplies from their
country OF origin proves beyond ques-
tiOn that the prison ration was not
sufficient to sustain life for a pro-
longed period, and IL was OF a charac-
ter that our men absolutely could not
eat. Does anyone believe that was
the ration provided for the German
troops? No evidence to the contrary
is necessary.
Prisoners Improperly Fed.
''The reports OF our neutral dele |
gates tmainIy Spanish) on their in /
specttOn OF prison camps almost with |
out exception call attention to the in /
adequate and unWhOlesome food sup /
piled prisoners, and our returning /
prisoners have testified unanimously /
TO the fact that they would have
had II not been for the food
we sent them.
Il have the testimony in one tele-
gram OF 2,2OO American prisoners to
that effect
Furthermore, our men were not 4
placed in 'cantOnments or barracks as
roomy and good as provided for the
German troops. Some OF the camps
were better than others and the con-
litions were fairly good; other camps
were hlthy and miserable to an eX-
IRENE degree, without adequate sleep
ng, bathing, toilet, cooking, or hos
oital facilities; and the men were sub
ected 10 petty annOyances and abuse"
The American Expeditionary Forces
icrupulously respected the Prussian
-reaty on the treatment Of prisoners.
ana one Of the best testimonials in
;orroboratton Of this, says Mr.. DEN
nett, Is the fact that there is not a
single official record Of an attempt by
German prisoner to escape from the
A. z. +.
In the early months after Amer
cas- entry into the war, American
prisoners in German hands were sub
ected to many Of the indiEnities be-
slowed upon other prisoners. They
we're robbed OF food and clothing sent
hem by the Red Cross, as well as Of
heir army shoes, belts and other ar
icles OF apparel which might be OF
use to Germany. And but
or the demands Of the United States,
Is expressed in conference between
German and American representatives
n Berne, September %, 1918, this sort
II maltreatmeut might have cul-
minated in measure of the savagery
Ind cruelty meted out to the Rus
ians.
Americans we're not subjected to
he "schlague," beatinEs across backs
With heavy leather straps, n common
.reatment for many prisoners.