WAR PRISONERS IN SIBERIA

Evening Star, Issue 15909, 15 September 1915, Page 4

WAR PRISONERS IN SIBERIA

WELL-BEHAVED GERMANS. A letter received by an English merchant in Moscow gives a detailed picture of the life of prisoners of war in Siberia. It is interesting as showing that in tho Russian prisoners' camps the lot of the prisoner is rendered tolerable by amusements and occupations, and the daily round of their existence is governed by a humane and well-considered system of regulations. The writer says:— At the present time we have 14,000 prisoners on our books—6,ooo in the villages and B,ooo'in town. In a month's time a camp just outside the town will be completed, and then we shall be able to take in a further transport of 10,000 prisoners.

The Germans are kept separate from other nationalities. From 6 o'clock a.m. until 8 o'clock p.m. the prisoners are allowed to do gymnastic exercises, to play games, to sing, to play music. Gardening is- also allowed where'it is possible. It is allowable to smoke outside barracks in places specially allotted for it. The prisoners get the same food as our Russian soldiers—eoup and gruel for dinner at 11 o'clock and a liquid gruel for supper at 5 o'clock. Each prisoner gets alb of meat for dinner. -Jib of meat for supper. 31b of bread, some tea. and l-161b of sugar daily. Hot water is supplied all day long, and cooled boiled water is kept in every barrack. Every fortnight a Russian bath is provided, and it is obligatory for every one to make use of it. This time of the year the prisoners go to bathe to the river at least once a week. Prisoners of various nationalities, but not Germans, are allowed to work privately, for which purpose they may go out at 6 o'clock p.m. riiey mav come in for their meals, if they like. They may also live where they work, in which case the employer must sign a certain form and the prisoner gets a book, and may live out, but only with his employer and not in a private quarter. Tlie Germane are not allowed to go outwithout a special permission, and when they do go out an armed convoy accompanies them. At the present time the Germans are working in constructing the camp, repairing roads, loadine and unloading steamers, etc. No monev is paid to them for their work, but when monev is received for their labor it is spent in purchasing tobacco, etc., for them. Every prisoner who works in the camp gets extra lea, sugar, and white bread. All prisoners get extra white bread on special holidays. Five- hundred Germans are planting PJJ^rl 66 ' cabba g e 6» etc -> for themselves; 100 Germans are cutting timber for firewood. They are very pleased with this work, and they get tobacco and extra food for doing it. All this work is done in two shifts, so that nobody is working more than tive hours a day and not every day, a-sjthe companies go to work in turns. There is a special military hospital (two of the doctors are from Moscow) for prisoners with 420 beds, out of which 350 are occupied now. The percentage is a normal one; which shows the sanitary condition to be good. There are 202 officers prisoners in at the present time. They belong to ail three armies—German, Austrian, and -Turkish. They Jive m four private houses. The Gennans and the Turks are not allowed to go out without a special permission, and the officer of other nationalities may go out from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. " The officers are paid 50 roubles (£5) monthly (sfcaff officers 75), and thev have to provide their own focd. In'- each house a kitchen is arranged and cooks provided, iivery five officers have a servant. When new prisoners come they are immediately told that they must keep good order, and that thev have nothing to iear as our law obliges us to treat them kindly! Every prisoner has a- right to come to see a Russian officer and to make to him his complaints, and no complaint was left unattended to, and those who were guilty either Russian soldiers or* prisoners, were immediately severely punished. The prisoners here must be quite satisfied with the treatment they get, and I am sure they are. In fact, 1 have several written statements to that effect. On the whole their behaviour is also' very good.