PRISONERS OF WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16020, 11 September 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

PRISONERS OF WAR.

LIFE IN SIBERIA.

THE DAILY ROUTINE. A letter received by- an English merchant in Moscow, of which we have received a translation, gives a detailed picture of the life of prisoners of war in Siberia.. It is interesting as showing that in the 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 books6ooo in the villages and 8000 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 six o'clock a.m. until eight 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 allowed to smoke outside barracks in places specially allotted for it. A Generous Diet. The prisoners get the same food as our Russian soldiers—soup and gruel for dinner at 11 o'clock and a liquid gruel for supper at 5 o'clock. Each prisoner gets Jib 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. They may 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. The Germans are not allowed to go out without 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, loading and unloading steamers, etc. No money is paid to them for their work, but when money is received for their labour it is spent in purchasing tobacco, etc., for them. Every prisoner who works in the camp gets extra tea, sugar, and white bread. All prisoners get extra white bread on special holidays. Five hundred Germans are planting potatoes, cabbages, 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 five hours a day and not every day,* as the companies go to work in turns.

Germans, Anstriins, and Turks. 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 i normal one, which shows the sanitary condition to be good. There are 202 officers prisoners in at the present time. They belong to all three armies—German, Austrian, Turkish. They live in four private houses. The Germans and the Turks are not allowei to go out without a special permission, and the officers of other nationalities mav go out from 10 a.m. until 2-p.m. The officers are paid 50 roubles (£5) monthly (staff officers 75) and they have to provide their own food. In each house a kitchen- is arranged and ' cooks provided. Every five officers has a servant. .yvj' • When new prisoners come they are immediately' told that they must keep good order and that they have nothing to fear, 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 1 was left unattended to, and those who were guilty, either Russian soldiers or prisoners, were immediately severely punished.