The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-31
RUSSIAN PRISONERS
IN GERMAN CAMP

Washington, Aug. 3o.--Some OF TIL
work which has been done for tn
Russian prisoners in Germany BY TIL
American Red Cross Prisoners Relied
Mission to alleviate the lot OF TIM
Russians.
Within the past four months half
million Russians in ; Germany have
been lifted out of the Slough of De-
spond and given a new interest T.
life. When the mission found thu
these men had spent four years in tli{
neglect and misery OF the German I'M
ternment camps, they were put
school like children and given lin
eral course OF training in American
ideals and American spirit
The mission found the RussiarS
everywhere in state of compiet1
lassitude mentally and physicaaIX
They were absolutely Indifferent IN
their fate. They needed material a1
sistance in the way OF medicines, hos
pital supplies, food, soap, pals fe1>
carrying water to their quarters f0S2
cleaning purposes. Undertaking a1ly
numerous other things. All these weE1
supplied by the mission. Four Year,
or more in a prison camp under con-
ditions such as those in Germany. TT
enough to break the strongest nanTe
spirit. Add to this the fact that thetx&
own country had absolutelY forgottNa
them, and no word had come fro1&
their relatives or frienda There We
no future where they were and nx4]
hope of anything better In their owG
country. So these hundreds of thpus
ands Of Russians who had fought vail
iantly for the allied cause. slowly dys
ing from depression, mental inactivity
and physical malnutrition, awoke t&s
new ideals.
The mission established headuuart
ers in Berlin, and within a week hM{
investigated most OF the larger campG
At first their efforts were receives
without any great enthusiasm.
many camps the workers were regar6s&
ed with suspicion. But before long 81
that WAS changed and the Russian
came to look upon them a. TN
friends. At the missions suggestIO1
they formed camp committees III
election and their needs. gricvance1
and fears were all brought to its AZ
tention through their representatives.
Athletic games also were intro
duced into the camps, Athletic cou1s3
petition stimulated the prisoners phy&
sically. while motion pictures am
other mental recreations brightenA4'
their duh hours. and their hospitAl&
were provided every needed medicaM
and surgical requisite.
1t was interesting to watch tn.
signs OF renewed life and couraH&
among these men After the missfof
had established itself in their con6s
dence. there was no advice that theYs
would not accept and no SuggestfoAF
that they would not carry out Thee
came to 1t with their every trouhf0N
After the camps had become crEanixr4
under the command Of the Americas
Red Cross and United States arrnS
personnel, and medical aasistAnca&
regular meals and recreation had bNa4
come the orders OF the day the camps
began to take on a new physieaX
aspect
Where the prisoners had mt heres.
tofore had the ambition to improvG
their own living conditions. they no<0}
began voluntarily TO plant flowers an6
grass, try to beautify their campA TT
other ways and began to seek to I'M
prove culinary conditions. owing IN
the supplies Of food, soap and othefS
necessaries of life distributed among
them by the mission. Indifferent f&Q
the preparation Of their food throusixs$
ont their long. monotonous tmpfiscHsS
ment In the old days the cooks nnvex$
bothered to peal the potatoes before
putting them In the soup. Now the4
began TO find many novel Ways 49,
making their simple diet more af&
,ractivs and appetizing.
sl y