PRISONERS OF WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9755, 3 September 1917, Page 2

PRISONERS OF WAR

THE PROBLEM OP KEEPING THEM SANE. “This wax has boon extraordinary, said Mr James W. Gerard, ex-Uniled States Ambassador to Germany, in a recent address at a meeting nt a New York Y.M.C.A., “unprecedented in many ways, and in most of all in tho number of prisoners taken. It is hard to conceive that there are now captive in tho did crept warring countries over five million prisoners, 'that is a population as groat as tho whole of London to-day. Many of these have been hold for over two years. How to keep them in some sort of condition, not onlv alive and woll, but sane has boon ono of tho greatest problems. “For tho first time in any war, civilians in England and Germany were imprisoned. In a race track just outside of Berlin, at tho commencement of tho war, there wore about 5000 Englishmen of all classes and all ages, men as old as 75 years and boys as young as 14. Now, there are upwards of 3000 still in that camp. How bo deal with these men. how to keep them in, heart and health', because their lives were ruined and their businesses destroyed, became a great problem. They were in agony about the fate of their families, about what would become of them, and in a more distressed state than the soldiers. “In this race track thoro were box stalls where in times of peace racehorses were stabled. There, for more than two years, distinguished authors, publishers, artists, and attorneys from London and Edinburgh had been . confined, six of them in a single box stall. Ono of them told me that it was the worst punishment that could ever be devised, for they Were never alone for ono instant. ? “Wo soon managed to get them organised and under the charge of an ex-kinematograph operator, who developed u groat talent as commander of the camp. We managed to organise 291 educational classes, libraries, theatrical companies, a newspaper and a magazine, and arrange a kinematograph, hookey, golf, and cricket games. Then Hie Aoung Men’s Christian Association put up a building in the midst of that camp. “I want to bear witness to tho splendid work performed by the association in Europe during the war, and especially commend the services rendered by Dr John R. Mott and Dr'A. C. Harte. This work was commenced on a vary small scale, but later more funds were given. A large part of it, I understand, hag come from J, D. Rockefeller, Jr., Cleveland, H. Dodge, and from the McCormick family of Chicago. Germany was not the only place where this work was taken up. “Almost exactly two years ago, I wont with Mr Harto to the opening of the first Young Men’s Christian Association station at tho Gottingen camp in ' Germany. It had a central hall, with a stage, where recitations and performances are put on. Musical instruments are purchased for the prisoners. All kinds of lessons arc taught, for teachers and professors can’ be found in every camp. Something has to be done to keep the men sane, because that is becoming a grave problem in every land. In ono camp, I am told that not ono <of thirty officers remembered his own name. Insanity is becoming moro and •more of a problem;;;;:; 'ft“The day on which I left Berlin, A. C. Harte wrote from Copenhagen about the first religious service one of the_ prison camps had enjoyed since their imprisonment about two years ago. One prisoner bad/written all of Schubert’s Mass from 'memory. Old and young broke down and cried. In the same mail came 'the draft of a proposition in which the Rockefeller Foundation, which has-performed such signal service to, humanity in this war in a manner well taken, promised 800,000 dollars for this work 1 among the prisoners at the association camps. In addition, it placed 200,000 dollars toward a fund of a million dollars to be used as a working capital for buying supplies to help vary the diet of prisoners of war in some prison oamps.”