The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-08-06
PRISONERS OF WAR

There IS q W1Qely COIu SCOry Oh d
saptured Italian soldier in Tunisia
who laughingly claimed to be better
off than his American captor. Pm
on my way to America" he said,
while you're on your way to Italy. !"
The desire to be captured and sent
to America caused hundreds of war
sick Italian fighters in Sicily to dress
up for the first Journey and surren-
der to the first Yankee doughboy
they could find. And when, as pris-
oners, they again ate white bread
and tasted real coffee they shouted
with delight.
In the first World War prisoners
of the Central Powers were left in
France. Now the Axis captives are
taken to Australia, Canada, England,
and the United States. Their distri-
button depends on several factors,
such as facilities for food, need OF
labor, etc. The United States with
plenty of space, and being a main
source of food supply, getting a
large share of the catives. Smiling
Italians and scowling Germans may
be pictured as coming over on nearly
every returning cargo ship.
AS of July 20 there were 65,058
Axis prisoners in the United States,
divided among 81 permanent camps
located in 20 different states. OF
these, 1854 were Italians; 45,355
Germans, and 81 Japanese. The Japs
are all held at Camp Mccoy, Wis,
and since our Oriental enemies have
a tradition of never being taken
alive, they will probably furnish very
few prisoners.
In the old days prisoners of war
were put to death or enslaved, as it
suited the captor. In the days not so
long ago-and not so far away-they
got rather harsh treatment. Now
things are different. Rules for treat
ing prisoners of war all over the
world were agreed on in the Ge-
neva Convention, and all it's present
belligerents are adhering to it-even
Japan, according to her own report.
The International Red Cross and the
International YMCA have access to
the prison camps everywhere, to in
spect and report. The former takes
care of the mail, and of other inter
ests of the prisoners; the latter con-
Germs itself largely with welfare and
recreation.
Under International agreeme n
prisoners must get adequate food
(here they get what the American
soldiers get), have healthful quar-
tiers and be guaranteed against indig-
mites or brutality. They are dressed
in blue denim, and each has sewed
on his clothes, in orange, the uetters,
P. w., which mean prisoner of
war;" and are nothing to be ashamed
of. The men are organized into in
ternee companies on a basic strength
of ESQ men, and an officer is detailed
as commander of each company. For
q typical camp of 5000 prisoners
there is needed a military personnel
of 573 officers and men for guard
duty.
The men are paid ten cents a day
for the purchase of articles from the
stockade canteen, while officers are
paid $40 to $40 per month, depend
ing on their rank. But the men are
permitted to volunteer for outside
labor.
The Army expects to take care
of the housing, clothing, feeding and
paying Of 355,S00 war prisoners be-
fore the end of June, 1914. That was
the estimate on which an appropria-
ton of $271,402,213 was asked. OF
this sum, payments of wages and
salaries to prisoners are expected to
take 5000, 900. Congress voted the
money after being assured that the
Axis were treating their prisoners
according to the code.