PRISONERS OF WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16436, 12 January 1917, Page 6

PRISONERS OF WAR.

INTERNATIONAL WORK.

THE Y.M.f.A. SERVICE.

I Ax account of the work of the Y.M.C.A. in the camps of prisoners of war in all the belligerent countries has been written by I Mr. E. R. Peacock, of Melbourne, who is I a field-secretary of the associationI As early as October, 1914, Dr. J. R. Mott, general secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association for North i America, and Mr. Phildius, general secretary of the world's committee at Geneva, went to Berlin and interviewed the German war officials, seeking permission to , enter the prison camps and undertake ' social service work in the interest of the ; men canned there. By persistent tactful I negotiations, extending over nearly six , months, consent was ultimately secured for {a conditional experimental demonstration, to be. made in two camps, on the condition . that work was to be based on the principal lof reciprocity. Whatever was done in I Germany for English, French or Russian prisoners was to bo duplicated by similar i efforts for the benefit of the German prisi oners in these countries. Accordingly, in February, 1915, Mr. A. C. Harte, of U.S.A., and Mr. Phildius were allowed to commence operations under military inspection and supervision at Gottingen, where there were 10,000 prisoners, made up of English, French, Belgians and Rus- ; sians, ana at Grossen, where tho prisoners j were French and Russian. Dr. Mott proI videdjhe first £400 for a building, which i comprised a large hall, reading and writing room, gamesroora, classroom, etc The prisoners of war were themselves organised for co-operative benefit with a neutral secretary, American, the maintenance being paid by a neutral country. The experiment was reported on by the war officials so favourably that permission I was secured to open up similar work in. j all other camps in Germany—on the j previously declared reciprocal conditions, i so that each camp entered meant also an- j other similar work elsewhere, and, in the' ' case of Polygot camps, sometimes two or' three other openings, all in the spirit of . the Young Men's Christian Association, and for the benefit of the men. After the successful demonstration in Germany, Mr. Phildius went to and secured like facilities for the same class of work, under similar conditions, being carried on in Austria-, Hungary. These demonstrations, were | equally satisfactory to the military authorities, and the permission was extended ultimately to enter practically all the camps in these countries. In Germany, I Austria and Hungary the prison camps j are very large, varying from 10,000 to 70,000 men, subdivided into sections. Social service for prisoners of war and interned civilians is now carried on by I the world's committee of the Young Men's ' Christian Association in Eng-1 land, France, Italy, Germany, Aus-1 tria, gungary, and Russia, and will soon be extended to Turkey. There are upwards of 40 secretaries engaged in the work, which number is being rapidly increased. Under the scheme of . internal organisation one secretary can in sorno places supervise two, three or more camps. The reports coming to hand are inspiring and gratifying in the highest degree.