WITH THE PRISONERS OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2971, 8 January 1917, Page 5

WITH THE PRISONERS OF WAR

' YJH.tA.JEN AT WORK AN INTERNATIONAL CAUSE The following, interesting account of tho work of the Y.M.O.A. in the camps of prisoners of -war in all the belligerent countries is written hy Mr. Iv 1!. Peacock, of Melbourne, who is at: tho seat of war "as- field "secretary of tho association. ...-■■ ■ : A prisoner of War in enemy coimtry, and. only a. common private at that! rhe position cannot bo a very : happy one under, any circumstances. ■Loved ones are far away. The excitement, of the combatant is a thing of the. past, the future—all uncertain —a long, dreary wait of months or years. Loaned out to aliens for menial labour at a penny a day. Rc- : ports of tho progress of tho war distorted to discourage and depress. A' -subject of tho almost natural exultation of those onlookers or officials who aro brought in contact with'him. Aβ we . stand at tho roadside • and see theso prisoners \of war ma,rch past , under guard f dirty, unkempt, ragged, dispirited,: line mpon f&e, hundreds and' even thousands of them,, common humanity awakens a senso of pity and sympathy, hut it is beycnd the reach of: most people to <do anything to ameliorate their wretched condition. .To-day there aro more than four million such prisoners of war in enemy countries. When tho war broke out many thought the conflict could not last more than, a very few months, arid ; this-philanthropists in combatant countries wero active in tho interests of •the nieii preparing for tho struggle. It, therefore, became tho duty and privilego of the international body of tho Young 'Men's Christian Association, centred in tho. World's Committee at Geneva, Switzerland, to undertako tho gigantic task of caring for the vast body of men in their unhappy. plight. As early as October, 19L1, Dr. JI?.Mott, general secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, for North America, and Mr. Phildius, general secretary of the World's Committee at. Geneva, wont; to Berlin and ir.terviowcd the German war officials, seeking permission to enter the prison camps, and undertake social service— work in the interest of the men con- ' iiued there. The whole idea was so novel, unusual, and irregular that tho proposal was viewed with suspicion and turned) down. However, hy persistent tactful negotiations. extendingover, nearly sis months, consent was ultimately secured for a conditional experimental demonstration to he made in two camps, on tho condition that work was to be based on the principle of reciprocity. Whatever was done in Germany for English, ■French, or Russian prisoners was to ho duplicated by similar efforts for •tho benefit of the German prisoners in these countries. Accordingly, in February, 1915, Mr. A.C. Harte, of TLS.A., and Mr. Phildius iveri allowed to commence operations under military inspection and supervision at Gottingen, where- there wero 10,000 .prisoners, wade up of English, French, Belgians, and Russians, and at Grossen, whero the prisoners were Ficnch andi Russian. Dr. Mott provided the first £400 for'a'building, which comprised a largo hall, reading and writing room, games room, classroom, etc. The prisoners of war were themselves organised for co-operativo benefit, with a neutral secretary (Americaa) and the maintenance being paid by .a.., neutral . country.. ; Tho effort was-'satisfactory not : only 'in th-o interests of the prisoners but also in the improved discipline and general conduct of tho camp. - Extending the Work. The experiment was reported on by the war officials so favourably that, permission was secured to open up similar work in all other camps in Germany (200) on the previously declared reciprocal conditions, so that each camp entered meant also another similar work elsewhere, and in the case of Polygot camps, sometimes two or three other openings, all in tho spirit of the Young Men's Christian Association and for the benefit of the men. After tho successful demonstration in Germany, MV. Phildius went to and secured like facilities for the same class of work, under similar conditions, being carried on in Austria-Hungary. Two camps were opened at Braunan, Bohn, where there were Russian and Serbian prisoners, and the other at Sopronnyek, Hungary. Mr. James Stokes, of New York, gave the £400 for the first building there. These demonstrations wero equally satisfactory to tho military authorities, and the permission was extended ultimately to enter practically all the camps in these countries. In Germany, Austria, and Hungary the prison camps are very large, varying from 10,000 to 70,000 men, subdivided into sections. From the experimental efforts io the position at time of writing is. a very big jump. Social service for prisoners of war and internes is now carried on by the World's Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association in England, Franco, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, 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. IJnder the scheme of iuternal organisation one secretary can in some places supervise two, three, or moro camps. Tho reports coming to hand are inspiring and gratifying in the highest degree. At Giessen, where a brass band'of 24 instruments had been organised, t and equipment supplied by the Young Men's Christian Association, there was some amount of irony and humour in the fact that the band was allowed to go out and meet and play into camp each newly arrived batch of prisoners to the strains of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary." Talking with a former bandmaster and some of his bandsmen frem Giessen camp, now interned in Switzerland, they were loud in their praise of the good work done by the American secretaries, Mr. Sprunger, of Los Angeles, and Mr. Hofman, of Kansas. The Russian Prisoners. In the camp of Russian prisoners at Wisselben; there is a special section of more than 4000 cripples or men who have lost one or other of their limbs. Here a special factory has been , established for the manufacture of artificial limbs and the teaching is adapted to the maimed condition of the men. The Young Men's Christian .Association has five huts in this camp. Men who have lost their right arm are taiucht to •write with their left hand. Many of them could not write at all before; now the. first-letters thoy ever wrote are written' to their homes with the left hand., as a result of the instruction r n ceived through tlio agency of the Young Men's Christian Association. Men are taught now trades and how to adapt/and use t!»}ir artificial limbs. A vprr large proportion of these men n.-o illiterate, four-fifths cannot wrifn. yot they aro oager to learn, and make 7'ninarkable progress. In this camp there are also more than 1000 Serbian hnys, organised into a regular school. Tn another camp iu.'Austrin. Mantlmu-pi-ii. where there aro 20,000 Italian prisoners, tlmrfi am moro than 20 professors, so that"educational organisation was easily accomplished. This camp has as its sorretir - - 'w-ir Oγ-'--, ,S;radnntn of Edinhi"-';h- University, !!■• writes that his working committee con-

! sists of two lawyers, a journalist, a savant, several teachers, and an ar- : tist. This body of men were officially designated for the work, and havo organised under seven departments, viz., library, leotnres, educational, recreation, gymnastics, social service, and invalids. Each department is fully developed, tho educational classes comprising not fewer tHan sixteen subjects. Request is made'for additional books and equipment to carry on tho work. From Germany roports como of the wonderful ' improvement in camp life as a result fc . of. the T.M.C.A. agency. Tho internes J at one camp organised 'a Y.M.C.A., > with Mr. A. E. Howard, an Australian • student, as president, and Mr. A. H. 1 Boden, a professor of Glasgow TJniver- ' sity, as secretary. An entrance of '; .sd. and monthly dues of Id. were de- ■ cided upon. No solicitation of membor- '. ship was permitted, but over. 280 appli- " cations have been received. With such ■ a, nucleus it can well bo understood ■ that a wide ramification of activities ' has beeii set in motion, with corresponding advantage to the camp. A conference over three days was'recently ' held, and subjects of vital importance were discussed, including "our responsibility after the war." ' : - Other Activities. *-In other camps activities different in detail but adapted to "local conditions are organised; athletics, bands, educational work, visitation of sick in hospitals, special permits being granted by.the camp authorities in such cases. In each case there is a guard of about 10 ■per cent, of the number of prisoners. In a, camp, of 70,000 men there would be a guard of about 7000, and the work of the association has its .effect on them, as they are often permitted to attend entertainments, social functions, kinema shows, etc., and tho mixing under such circumstances has a wonderful mellowing influence on both. The distinctly religious activities are carried 'on in the broadest Christian spirit, and tho evidonco of tho devoted, unselfish service arrests the attention of the most careless, commands respect, and stimulates imitation. Tho Y.M.C.A. has beon called on by tho Russian Government to distribute some 300,000 crosses and ikons among tho Russian prisoner!!'. Indian prisoners are supplied with curry powder, aaid are helped in their desirb to observe their national habits in food preparation and otherwise. A3 the work has extended and developed it has been found an advantage to secure, the influence of Patronage Committees, based on tho same reciprocal arrangements that persons of equal rank and importance should bo associated with tho interest. 'The first such committee formed wae in Russia, with H.I.H. the Grand Duko Constantino Constantinovitch (the Tsar's, uncle) as president. This was followed by a similar committee in Germany, with H.R.H. Prince Mas of Baden as president, and another in Austria, with H.I. and R.H. the Archduke Francis Salvador, son-in-law of tho Emperor, as presidont. In each case members of tho War and Foreign Office are on thoso committees. At tho centra of organisation in Geneva a large amount of work is being done. A- specially interesting and meritorious paper is published monthly in four languages—English, French, German, and Russian—and tens of thousands of copies distribute - among the exiles. Thero is also a circulating library system. More than 100,000 volumes, carefully selected, non-politi-cal and all published before the war, are sorted into about thirty series, laitered and numbered, packed in convenient cases of about thirty books each, and sent to camps in all countries. These library cases, as well as small accordeons or other musical instruments, are especially _ valuable where camps are broken up into small working parties and men aro sent to : out-districts. Daily requests are also received in Geneva for special books of a technical or educational ;• character. One day f<jrty lists , comprising more than 8800 bogks were received from France from students who desired to continue their studies. The books wero all 6uppHed. Propaganda books aro not allowed, but thousands of volumes of the story of Jesus of Nazareth and copies of the Scriptures aro set in cir'bulation. This great work, which is so meagrely sketched here, needs largehearted support. Only men of neutral countries can be employed as secretaries, and hitherto much of tho money ,'for carrying on tho enterprise has come from the United States of America, but more is needed: Remittances, postal orders, or drafts, should bo sent to tho lion, treasurer, World's Committee, Young Men's Christian Association, 3 General Dufour Street, Geneva, Switzerland, or to the National Secretary, Y.M.C.A., Wellington, who will remit tho sums as they aro received. ' ■ i