Evening star., 1943-05-31
BY CLAUD EASTERLY.

Editor. the Denison Tex,) Herald. Written
for the Associated Press.
DENISON, Tex, May 31.-For-
mer members of Hitler's crack
Afrika Korps. captured in North
Africa, have substituted crosscut
saws for rifles and an axman's
swing for the goosestep as they
help clear land for the Denison
reservoir dam in this country's
first war prisoner project OF its
type.
These youthful German soldiers,
in keeping with the international
law which the United States is OBJ
serving to the letter, are contribut-
ing to the American way they set out
to destroy. Their use is necessary
because sufficient labor is otherwise
not available to clear land in the
dam basin ahead of the water, due
to start rising in June.
The first contingent recently oc-
cupied one or two internment camps
in the Oklahoma Reservoir area. To-
gether the installations form the
Madill provisional internment camp.
under command of 1t. Col. H. E.
Fischer.
Under international law. enlisted
prisoners of war must work and are
paid accordingly. Those in the
clearing camp volunteered to work
before being brought in. Their pay,
according to agreement, is 80 cents a
day. Each prisoner is allowed 10
cents day in canteen credits for
purchases at the canteen. Allow
ances will be repaid by the German
government after the war.
They work a flve-day, 48-hour
week. After adjusting themselves to
the routine, their work will be the
same done by regularly hired work.
men elsewhere in the reservoir area
When they computed their pay
in terms of German marks and dis
covered it compared favorably with
what they drew while gambling with
death in Hitler's regiments they
were happier about the whole thing.
They get half their money in cou-
pons, good for purchases at the
camp canteen, and the rest is saved
for them until after the war
The demeanor of these captured
fighters may have a reaching in
f1uence on an internment program
certain to expand as the war prog
resses. They appear resigned to max
Ing the most of the situation. Thus
far there has been no untoWard in
cldent, and no threat of any.
Beautifully Trained
Their background of intense mill
tary training makes for good work.
men. Guards concede them to be
beautifully trained soldiers.
The nearest beef from the pris-
oners was about their camp garb,
with p. W." for prisoner of war.
in large red letters across the seats
of trousers and backs of jumpers.
They took it in better spirit, how
ever, when told they would be al
lowed to wear their German uni
forms on Sundays, if they earned
the privilege.
The prisoners eat, sleep and play
IN compound, consisting of mess
hall, CONAN barracks. camp canteen
and other facilities inclosed by
sturdy barbed wire fence with ele-
waited guard towers at each corner.
Outside are facilities of United
States Army personnel in charge
of the camp.
Discipline is enforced in part
through non-commissioned officers
OF their own group. The German
senior officer is veteran of the
World War. probably around As
years OLD, who held in the German
Army a rank somewhere between
the United States master sergeant
and warrant officer. The others
range in age from II to % years,
with the emphasis on youth. There
are no commissioned officers at the
camp.
Through international channels
and under the terms of the Geneva
Convention, cards were mailed re-
Gently to their families in Germany
announcing they were safe in Amer
lea as prisoners of war.
Work for Privileges.
The prisoners have been told that
they are respected as German SOL
dlers and that they are expected
to conduct themselves to merit that
respect. They further understand
that certain rights are granted un-
der the terms of the Geneva Con-
vention, but that other privileges
must be earned. AS a group, they
appear to be bent on winning these
privileges and are quick with ven-
geance against any of their group
who would spoil their chances.
Within their compound they carry
on a community life with songfests,
games and other recreation.
May Day was celebrated in ira
ditional German custom A flower
wreath bedecked with doll-like fig
ureS was mounted in small tree
within the compound amid ritual
of dances and song.
Their German commander made
them a speech, pointing out that