The Washington times., 1919-04-27

repair Of sleeping places, and the men
were obliged simply to shift for
themselves to obtain the necessities
1 Of life and the means Of protecting
themselves against the inclement
weather.
You can, therefore, readily see
that il was a tremendous undertake
ing to check up the lists of Ameri-
| cans, recorded by the central records
| offce at Tours, as prisoners of war.
Then, too, there were II, ZOO officers
and men Of the American Expedi-
tionary Force unaccounted for, and
1t was hoped that many of these
would be found in prison camps in
| Germany.
The German authorities coloperated
quite well with the Americans, Brit
| tsh and French, but, when it came
to the smaller nations among the
allies they simply quit. II it had not
been for tho men I have mentioned
remaining in Berlin. after their, own
work was completed and helping
Rumania and Serbia properly to
care for and transport their soldiers
homeward, many would have been
there yet or died Of disease and an
dernourishment, before they had
reached home. sa e. .
The German officials simply showed
disposition to do. nothing In the case
of these smaller nations. The best Of
them did what was absolutely re-
quired and not one whit more, and
Rumania and Serbia, could get no
satisfaction out of them.
'Rassiaas Very Badly Treated.
/ - Y hoE 4
10 and began work the fourteenth. BY
the middle of January practically all
of the French, British. American, Bel
Bian and italian prisoners Of war,
with the exception OF sick cases, had
been repatriated. General : Harries
expected that our work would be COM
pleted by the first of February, but the
situation OF the Russian prisoners,
which was becoming more and more
ominous, forced the three major na-
ton commissioners to remain.
When the BFest-Litovsl treaty was
signed there were approximately
100000 Russian war prisoners in
Germany. Under the terms Of the
treaty these men should have been
repatriated Immediately, sud Russia
expected them to be. But Russian
prisoners were notOriouly badly treat
ed in Germany. I have been told by
Russians that German guards would
spit upon a piece of meat, throw it
into the midst OF q crowd Of prison
ers and say, Flight for it, you dogs"
And some Of the men were so fam
ished that they would fight for IT.
So, with the usual cunning, the
Germans figured that to liberate this
great number OF men would only to
create menace against themselves.
Hed Bolshevtk armies were even then
threatening Germany from the direc-
ton Of Danzig and Posen. The Ger
mans feared that IL they returned this
million and a half OF men whom they
had treated so vilely, their hatred
would prompt them to join the hordes
Of TrOtslSy and Lenine in the hopes of
avenging themselves upon their cap
tors.
Arguments Against Course.
So the terms of the Brest-Litovsk.
document were ignored and the Rus
SLAMS were not repatriated. Therk
were arguments against this course,
but they were not arguments Of honor
In observing the treaty. The million
and q half OF men, half starved
though they were, still consumed
vast stores Of food which could have
been used for the civilian population
had the Russians been liberated,
There We're those in Germany who
held that this would be sufficient to
sustain the morale Of the nation to
continue the war.
However, the menace on the other
side Of Danzig and Posen seemed the
more Important
There Is sort Of poetic Justice in |
hnnAnA ~
without the knowledge OF the allied |
commissions, Fepatriated between
300. 600 and 100000 Russians irnmedi- |
ately after the armistice, transport |
ing them, via q military railway |
which they had projected 300 miles |
into Russian territory. The sole rea-
SON for this was to reserve more food /
for the use Of the civilian population. |
But the liberated Russians bore in |
their breasts a deadly hatred of Ger !
many. Their German captors admit |
ted that 10000 OF their comrades had !
died in prison camps, and IL is my |
belief that at least 100000 actually !
passed away from lack OF nourish- !
ment These men had seen their |
starving on their feet and |
suffering days upon days, dying from
disease and unattended. Their sole |
thought was revenge on Germany, and /
the majority OF them Joined the Bol-
shevik army, partly to get food, part
" to get revenge on their captors.
General Du Point, General Ewart. |
and General Harries, being cognizant /
of all Of these facts, decided that some |
plan must be adopted to handle the |
100000 Russians still in Germany in 1
a more satisfactory manner. Ac-
cordingly General Ewart was appoint
ed chairman Of q commission COM
posed Of General Ewart and General !
darries and their respective STATS to |
handle the Russian situation. The /
plan they devised is still in effect.
Between 80 and 50 CampH.
Today there are in Germany some
'orty or fifty Russian prison camps,
Zach holding 10000 to 10000 pris-
'neTs. Fifty per cent OF these camps
ire under the control Of the British
personnel and so per cent are under
he control of the American personnel.
There is a major in charge of each
amp, who takes his orders from his
general. He has his staf of officers 4
md a sufficient number of enlisted
meme 10 carry out the duties in con-
lection with the camp.
When I left Berlin. II was planned
o have German guards, but it is my
that this pain has been laid
side and that allied soldiers are act