The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1945-02-16
WAR PRISONERS AIDED

Residents of Hamilton and Butler
County who contributed a total Of
nearly $2OO,O00.OO to the 1914 Hamil-
ton and Butler County Community
War Chest and who may have sons
among prisoners Of war in Germany
will probably be interested to learn
how their dollars are bringing COM
fort and diversion to hapless men in
Nazi prison camps.
A cabled report just received from
a representative Of War Prisoners Aid
of the Y. M. C. A., whose work is
financed by the National War Fund
through contributions to community
war funds, gives revealing account
of conditions in German camps.
On visit to Stalag III-C, the rep
resentative reported that despite snow
and terrific wind, 800 war prisoners
attended an outdoor boxing match
lasting an hour and half, followed
in the evening by jazz concert by
the camp orchestra playing instru-
ments sent by War Prisoners Aid.
Health conditions, he said, were fine,
with only few men in the hospital.
Morale there was also good, and Am
erican prisoners popular with those
of other nationalities.
At Stalag Luft A, visited on Christ
mas Day, the representative reported
that since his previous visit, when the
men were playing football with an
improvised ball made of old shoes,
and when they had no musical instru-
ments or books, supplies were now
pouring in-all kinds of sports equip
ment, three pianos, 2 harmoniums,
gramaphones, records, games, books,
painting supplies, etc. Seasonal sports
were daily attractions, and rinks were
then being readied for ice hockey.
In every barracks in this camp on
Christmas Eve, orchestras were play
ing swing music and the men were
singing carols. At midnight all the
prisoners assembled on the sports
ground as "Silent Night, Holy Night"
and "God Save America" were sung,
followed by two minutes silence, after
which the men returned to their bar
racks. Christmas Day was marked by
services, concerts and shows, and the
men generally expressed appreciation
for help extended by War Prisoners
Aid.
Similar conditions prevailed at
Stalag Luft 8, visited by another rep
resentative of War Prisoners Aid and
where there were fantastic Christmas
cakes, a splendid turkey dinner, deco
rations, paper caps, toys, and services,
songs, concerts and theatrical perform
ances. At that camp, General Vana-
man, of Butler, Pennsylvania, and
Colonel Spivey, of Jersey City, partic-
ipated in the celebration, and in an ad-
dress to the men expressed gratitude
for materials and equipment sent to
that camp.
Relatives Of American prisoners of
war may derive comfort and satisfac-
tion in the knowledge that, unfortun-
ate as may be the lot of loved ones in
enemy prison camps, their plight is
made much less drab and dreary by
the work of War Prisoners Aid, made
possible solely by the contributions of
generous Americans. With the increas-
ed tempo of the war effort, it is GER
tain that there will be greater num-
ber of our men taken prisoners, and
until the end of the war, as we'll as
for long time thereafter, there will
be continuing demand for the benev-
olent services of War Prisoners Aid.
Guy H. Beckett, Chairman,
Hamilton and Butler County
| Community War Chest Cam
nainn