Page 9 Advertisements Column 2

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1916, Page 9

Six French non-commissioned officers and soldiers have managed to send a letter to their friends in Paris describing life in a German fortress. Tliey were sentenced on March 8, 1!)15, to eleven months' imprisonment in « fortress for attempting to escape, but "were reprieve! after nine months. During those months they were treated worse than convicts. They were absolutely at the mercy of the warders, commanded by a furious captain. No complaints were ever allowed. One of the signatories was struck with a sword for having asked for more food. A Russian, now doing ten years, asked to be allowed walking exercise. For this he was beaten by four Germans. with wet towels so violently that lie was disabled for a week. A French civilian of weak mind, now doinj? thirteen years for liaving sung tlie "Marseillaise," was in .the same fortress, and was kept under a shower bath of almost boiling water, apparently for the amusement of some German non-com-missioned officers. The writers of the letter were completely isolated from the rest of the world, and allowed only three-quarters of an hour per day for exercise between high walls. The slightest sound was punished by from three to thirteen days' confinement in a dark cell in irons with 500 grammes of black bread as the day's rations. The ordinary rations consisted only of chicory in the morning, water with vegetables at noon, and the same in the evening, und 400 grammes of bread per day. Every complaint made to the doctor was met with this reply: ''Von are here to suffer, not to be cared for." WAR PEICES. In many instances the war is made on excuse for unduly inflating the charges for articles of everyday use. I'lueii/.0l is, however, still the same price (Is (id and 2s (id), despite the in- i creased cost of production; and the trade terms ate unaltered. Gargle for throats, sniff up for colds, and swallow tor fevers and influenza.