MUTUAL AID

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2471, 26 May 1915, Page 5

MUTUAL AID

PRISONERS OF WAR BANK IN A GERMAN CAMP. The Kreuz Zeitung" (says a Reut-er telegram from Amsterdam) publishes some interesting details of lifo in one of the Germ;ui camps for military prisoners of war, in which some 20,000 British, French, and Belgian prisoners are interned. Foreign newspapers, the correspondent says, especially those from enemy countries, are strictly excluded, "as thoy wrongly represent the real situation as regards the war." Those of the prisoners who have money can buy German papers, but only a few of the French prisoners do this. Among the French prisoners are many wealthy and distinguished persons who fought as common soldiers. One of them, a Count, has a yearly income of a million francs, and he, too, is only a "caporal." He was captured at the Mame, and is now clerk to the "Adjutant "du Camp." In this camp, which is one of the bast organised, there is a bank established by the prisoners, which is called "La Caisse Mutuelle." A rich Paris banker, a millionaire and prisoner of war, made the plans for this institution. He gave the money to start it, and now other amounts for its maintenance are comLo" in from France. The Bank is managed by the French prisoners, under supervision of the Gorman military authorities in charge of the camp. The bank lends small amounts of money to the prisoners without asking for interset, and in many cases without any hope that tho money will ever be repaid. For those prisoners who liavo no relations in Franco, and who never receive any presents from home, this institution has been a blessing. Now they are able, like all their comrades, to buy things at tho canteen, but nobody is allowed to spend more than ten marks weekly. Tho well-to-do people sometimes receive larger amounts from homo, and they usually hand the money which they are not allowed to spend to the "Caisse Mutuelle" for their less fortunate comrades. Before the hank was brought into existence the commander of the camp pointed out to tho banker the many difficulties ho would encounter in collect ing the amounts due to him. But he replied, "I do not mind if I lose 10,000 franco; the njost important thing is that the men should regard tho leading of the money as a simple banking trans, action, and not as an oppressive charity."