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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 1917)
THE SUNDAY OEEGONUN, PORTLAND, SEPTE3IBER 16, 1917. FEVER KILLS JEN IN GERMAN GUMP British Camp and French Victims. Commander Refuses to Segregate Prisoners. ACT IS DEATH SENTENCE Conditions of Prison Camp at AY it ten burg During Period of Epi demic Frightful Prisoners Knocked About and Beaten. BT JAM KS W. GERARD, . American Ambassador to the German Im perial Court. July lift. 1913. to February 4, 1i17. : Copyi-isrht. If 17, by the Public Ledger Company.) Undoubtedly the wrst prison camp . "which I visited m Germany was that of Wittenberg. "Wittenberg i the an cient town where Luther lived and - nailed his thesis to the church door. The camp wan situated just outside the ci:y in a very unattractive spot next to the railway. An outbreak of typhus fever prevented u& from visiting the- ft camp, although Mr. Jackson conversed with some of the prisoners from out- j sid the barrier of barbed wire. j When the typhus was finally driven' out, Mr. Lithgow Osborne visited the j ; camp and his report of conditions there j . was such that I visited it myself. In ; the meantime holding up him report until I had verified it. I Russian Soldiers Typhus Carriers. j With Mr. Charles H. Russell, Jr., I ' visited the camp. Typhus fever seems to be continually present in Russia. It in carried by tho body louse, and it ia transmitted from one person to an- ' other. Russian soldiers seem to carry r this disease with them without appar- - ently suffering much from it them selves. The Russian soldiers arriv ing at Wittenberg were not properly " disinfected and in consequence typhus fever broke out in camp. .Several British medical officers were I, there with their prisoners, because, by the provisions of the Ha gue conven- tions, captured medical officers may be kept with the troops of their nation. If prisoners have need of their services. These medical officers protested with the camp commander against the herd ing together of the French and British prisoners with the Russians, who, as I have said, were suffering from ty ', ' phus fever. But the camp commander said, "You will have to know your Al , lies.' And he kept all of his prisoners - together, and thus as surely condemned " to death a number of French and Brit i ish prisoners of war as though he had stood them against the wall and or- dered them shot by a firing squad. ' Conditions of Wittenberg Frightful. Conditions in the camp during the period of this epidemic were frightful. The camp was virtually deserted by the Germans, and I understand that the German doctor did not make as many visits to the camp as the situation required. At the time I visited the camp the typhus epidemic, of course, had been stamped out. The Germans , employed a large number of police dogs in this . .camp, and these dogs not only were used in watching the outside of the camp in order to prevent the escape of prisoners, but were used within the camp. Many complaints were made to me by prisoners concerning these dogs, prisoners stating that men had been i bitten by the dogs. It seemed un doubtedly true that the prisoners there had been knocked about and beaten r in a terrible manner by their guards, and one guard went so far as to strike one of the British medical officers in , the camp. Good News Kills One Prisoner. j There were about 37 civilian pris " oners in the camp who had been there all through the typhus epidemic. I se- j cured the removal of these civilian; prisoners to the general civilian camp 4 at Ruhleben, and the conditions at Wit- tenberg may be Judged by the fact that when it was announced to these civil- ians that they were to be taken from . Wittenberg to another camp, one of them was so excited by the news of re lease that he fell dead upon the spot. In talking over conditions at Witten 1 berg with von Jagow I said: "Suppose I go back to Wittenberg and shoot ionie of these dogs, what can you do V to me?" Soon after the dogs dlsap- peared from the camp. Food of Prison- r The food in all tliotit; camps xor clvil- - ians and for private soldiers was about the same. It consisted of an allowance of bread of about the same weight as that given the civilian population. This was given out in the morning with a cup of something call" coffee, but which In reality was an extract of acorns or something of the kind, with- ; out milk or sugar; in the middle of the day a bowl of thick soup in which the quantity of meat was gradually dimin ished as war went on. as well as the amount of potatoes, for which at a later period turnips and carrots were, to a large extent, substituted; and in the evening, in good camps, there was pome sort of thick soup given out, or an apple, or an almost infinitesimal piece of cheese or sausage. i In the War Department at Berlin ' there was a prisoners- -r-o r depart- , ment in charge of Coionei, inter Gen eral, Friedrieh. This department, how ever, did not seem to be in a position to issue orders to the corps command- ' ers commanding the army corps dis . trlcts of Germany, who had absolute control of the prison camps within their districts. Colonel Friedrieh and his as sistants, however, endeavored ttf stand ardize th t.ricc; of prisoners of war in the different corps districts, and Vere able to exert a certain amount of pressure on the corps commanders. t Vhey determined on the general re ;prisals to be taken in connection with prisoners of war. r-"rieJricb Itaa System of Reprisals For instance, when some of the Ger mans who had been taken prisoners by the English and who were in Kngland, ( were ent oy the English to work in i th.e harbor of Havre, the Germans re ; laliated by sending about four times the number of Knglish prisoners to i work at Libau. in the part of Russia "then occupied by the Germans. But while the Knglish permitted our em ' bassy in Paris to inspect the. prisoners of war at Havre, the Germans for months refused to allow me permission 1 to send anyone to inspect those British prisoners at Libau. ) Cases came to my attention where individual corps commanders on their own initiative directed punitive meas ures against the prisoners of war in ; their districts, on account of the rumors of bad treatment of German citizens in ' England. Thus the commander in the . district where the camp of T3oeberiti was situated issued an order directing reprisals against prisoners under his command on account of what he , claimed to be the bad treatment of Ger- man women in Kngland. It required constant vigilance to seek out instances - of this kind and cause them to be rem- edied. ! 1 did not find the Germans at ail effi cient in the handling of prisoners of war. The authority was so divided that It was hard to find who was re sponsible for any given bad conditions. For instance, for a long period of time I contended with the German authori ties for better living conditions at the civilian camp of Ruhleben. I was promised time and again by Colonel Friedrieh, by the camp commander and by the Foreign Office that those con ditions would . be remedied. In that camp men of education, men in delicate health, were compelled to sleep and live six in a box stall, or so closely that the beds touched each other in hay lofts, the outside walls of which were only four feet high. Finally, almost in despair, I wrote identical personal letters, after having exhausted all ordinary diplomatic steps, to General von Kessel, comman der of the Mark of Brandenburg, to the commander of the corps district in which the Ruhleben camp was situated, and to the Minister of War. the only result -was that each of the officers ad dressed claimed that he had been per sonally insulted by me, because I bad presumed to call his attention to the inhuman conditions under which the prisoners were compelled to live in the Ruhleben camp. Prisoners Elect Captains. The commander of this civilian camp was a very handsome old gentleman, named Count Schwerin. His second in command for a long tirrm was a Baron Taube. Both of these officers had been long retired from the army and were given these prison commands at the commencement of the war. Both of them were naturally kind hearted, but curiously sensitive, and not always of even temper. On the whole, I think that they sympathized with the pris oners and did their best to obtain a bettering of the conditions of their confinement. The prisoners organized themselves in their - various barracks, each barrack having a captain, the captains electing one of their number as a camp captain or "obmann." The man who f ina! ly appeared as head man of the camp was an ex-cinematograph proprietor named Powell. In my mind he, assisted by Beaumont and other captains, conducted the af fairs of the camp given the difficulty of dealing with the prisoners on one hand and the prison authorities on the other hand as. well as possible. Nat urally, he was always subject to op position from many prisoners, among: whom those of aristocratic tendencies objected to being under the control of one. not of the highest caste in Kng land, and there were others who either envied him his authority or desired his place. The camp authorities allowed Powell to visit the Embassy at least once a week; in that way I was en abled to keep In direct touch with the camp. At two periods during my stay in Berlin I spent enough days at the camp to enable every prisoner who had a complaint of any kind to personally present it to me. The organization- of this camp was quite extraordinary. I found it im possible to get Knglish prisoners to perform the ordinary work of cleaning up the camp, etc., always expected of prisoners themselves, and so, with the funds furnished me from the British government, the camp captain was com pelled to pay a number of the poorer prisoners to perform this work. Secre taries Ruddick and Kirk, of our em bassy, performed the uninteresting and arduous work of superintending these payments as well as our other financial affairs. This work was most trying. and -they deserve great credit for their seii-aeniai. Additions to the Camp Diet. By arrangement with the British gov ernment. I was also enabled to pay the poorer prisoners an allowance of five marks a week, thus permitting them to buy little luxuries and necessities and extra food at the camp canteen which was early established in the camp. I also furnished the capital to the camp canteen, enabling it to make its pur chases and carry on its business. In this establishment everything could be purchased which, was - purchasable in Germany, and, for months after the commencement of the war, articles of luxury were sold at a profit and articles of food sold at a loss for the benefit of those who required an addition to the camp diet. There was a street in the camp of little barracks or booths whLch the prisoners christened Bond street, and wnere many stores were in operation, such as a tailor shop, shoemaker watchmaker, and so on. Acting with fowell, l succeeded in getting the Ger man authorities to turn over the kitch ens to the prisoners. Four of the pris oners who did most excellent elf denying work in these kitchens deserve to be specially mentioned. They were Ernest L.. Fyke, Herbert Kastner, Rich ard H. Carrad and George Ferguson. The men in this camp subsisted to a great extent upon the packages of food sent to them from Kngland. Credit must be given to the German authori ties for the fairly prompt and efficient delivery of the packages of food sent from Kngland, Denmark and Switzer land to prisoners of war in all camps. (Continued tomorrow.) , Army Orders. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15. Army or ders issued here today by the Western Department follow: Leave of absence ror 15 days, effect ive October 16, is granted Captain Harry N". Mayo, Medical Reserve Corps, Fort Douglas, Utah, to attend the Clinical Congress of Surgeons to be held in Chicago. A board of officers to consist of Lieutenant-Colonel William P. Jack son, Captains illiam W. Taylor, Kl liott M. Norton, Robert J. Binford and Walter C. Gullion. all of the Twentieth Infantry, is appointed to meet at Fort Douglas. Utah, to examine fitness of Temporary Second Lieutenant John H. McClernan, Twentieth Infantry, for military service. First Lieutenant Jackson Temple, Santa Rosa. Cal., and Peter A. Tobin. Fresno, Cal., Medical Corps, will pro ceed to the Presidio of California for duty with the First Regiment. Cal ifornia Field Artillery. National Guard. ADNA HONORSJCHOSEN MEN Lewis County Quota for Xa tiona 3 Army Is Completed. CENTRALIA. Wash., Sept. 15. (Spe cial.) A reception was held in the Adna Grange Hall tonight by residents of the community in honor of the men living in the vicinity who have been selected for the Army. The Lewis County Kxemption Board yesterday announced definitely that no more registrants will be summoned for examination, the county's quota hav- ' in c- been filled. The 64 men and five T alternates Just summoned by the board will report September 19 and entrain for American Lake September 20. TWO PE ELL CITIZENS DIE Simeon C. Wheeler Passes at 81 and Mrs. Melinda F. Fleming at 54. CENTIwXLIA, Wash.. Sept. 13. (Spe cial.) Simeon C. Wheeler, 81, died yes terday at his home in Pe Kll from old age. A daughter, Mrs. D. A. Caton, re sides in Pe EU. The funeral probably will be held Monday. Mrs. Malinda F. Fleming. 54, died in Pe Ell this week, following a long Illness. The woman's husband could not be located and does not yet know of his wife's death. The latter's moth er, Mrs. Mary Webb, and a sister. Mrs. T. W. Hockett. are residents of Pe Kll. The yellow poplar, or tulip. Is the largest broadleaf tree in America, WAB TUX BILL TWO THIRDS COMPLETED Senate Eliminations of Manu facturers' Gross Sales Taxes Cause Clash. REPORT LIKELY THURSDAY Conferees Ievote fuch Time to Dis cussing If Proceedings Arc to . . Be Public and Then De cide Upon Secrecy "WASHINGTON, Sept. 15. Conferees on the war tax bill clashed today over Senate eliminations from the measure of the manufacturers gross sales taxes and others, totaling about J70.000.000, and a compromise by which half this amount will be raised from these sources finally resulted. House con ferees, led by Democratic Leader Kitchin. declined to agree to the Senate proposal to strike out the 5 per cent manufacturers' tax provided in the House bill. The compromise agreement is understood to have re stored a tax of somewhat less than this amount on musical instruments and jewelry and reviMon of the auto mobile tax sections, with increases of 2 per cent on the gross sales taxes of patent medicines, cosmetics, perfumery and other toilet articles is probable. On other Senate changes the con ferees did not fare so well. The amuse ment "tax, reduced by the Senate from $60,000,000 to $19,000,000 aroused much discussion and a final vote on it proba bly will not be reached for several days. Bill Two-Thirds Considered. Approximately two-thirds o the bill had been disposed of when adjourn ment was taken tonight, and it was expected that a report would be ready next Thursday for presentation to both houses. The excess profits tax and postal rates sections will be the last considered. Nnexpected objection to the' tobacco tax section which promises to delay final agreement suddenly appeared to day. Mr. Kitchin is understood to op pose the proposed Senate increase in the tobacco tax from $25,000,000 to 530.O00.000. He was of the opinion when the bill passed the House that tobacco was taxed to the limit. Sections covered today included auto mobiles and motorcycles, tires and tubes, musical instruments, motion pic ture films, jewelry, sporting goods, yachts and pleasure boats, perfumes and cosmetics, proprietary medicines, chewing gum, cameras, amusements, club dues, stamp taxes and parcel post packages. Senate Cnta 944,000,000. The total taxes for these articles picposed by the House were $143,000, 00. and the Senate lowered them to $99,000,000. Forecasts are that half this reduction will be restored. Much of today's session was devot ed to discussing whether the public should be informed of the proceedings of the conference in which Mr. Kitch in led again a successful fight in lavor of publicity. Publication of results of yesterday's conference was pointed to by some conferees as proof that It was impossible to keep the deliberations secret, but finally the pledge of secrecy was renewed and several mem bers threatened to urge official inves tigation of further publication of the proceedings. Desire to keep lobbyists away from the conferees is the rea son given for opposition to publicity. COLUMBIA FAIR TO OPEN EXHIBITS AT ST. nELE-VS WILL BE ATTRACTIVE. Governor TV'lthycombe Will Attend Thursday and Speak Music Festival to Be Given ST. HELENS, Or., Sept, 15 (Spe cial.) The sixth annual Columbia County Fair will open here next Wednesday. Thursday has been desig nated as Governor's day, as Governor Withycombe has promised to be present and deliver an address. The stock parade and grand float parade also will be features of the day's entertainment. Friday is School Children's day and a musical festival, under the direction of Dr. Emil Knna, of Portland, will be the outstanding feature. The school exhibits promise to be better than those previously exhibited, as more of the county's schools will be represented. The building in which the exhibits are to be placed is owned by the school children of Columbia County, through whose efforts it was built and paid for. Although the farming season has been a backward one, the fair directors have the assurance that creditable dis plays will be exhibited, and the live stock exhibits will be up to the usual good standard. MISS GRACE SILCOX WEDS Bridegroom Is Frank J. Lesher. Formerly of Portland. THE DALLES. Or.. 6pt. 15. (Sp clal.) Th. wedding of Frank J. Lush er, formerly of Portland, and Miss Grace ISilcox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. V. SUcox, former Oregon City resi dents, was solemnized yesterday at the home of the parents of the bride in this city. th. Rev. Frank Maples, pastor of the Congregational Church, of The Dalles, of ficiatins;. Only relatives and a few close friends witnessed the cere mony. Mr. and Mrs. Lesher are now at Seaside. Mr. Lesher is In Oregon City, where he met his bride. They will make their future home in The Dalles. Shingle Company Incorporates. CENTR ALT A, Wash.. Sept. 15. fSpe cial.) The Western Shingle Company, which will operate a mill on the Mil waukee at the mouth of Trap Creek, in Pacific County, has filed articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. The incorporators are C. S. and James Gilchrist, both of this city. The new firm is capitalized at $15,000. It is expected that the plant will be ready for operation by November 1. Eccles Buys Bimetallic Mine. BAKER, Or.. Sept. 15. (Special.) The I. C. Eccles interests, of Ogden have purchased the bimetallic mine near Greenhorn from Anthony Mohr. Mr. Mohr says the new owners intend to rush develop work, and have already besun installing new machinery and increasing; mining crews. Among; other Improvements under way is the exten sion of a power line from the Hen Har "That Beneficial Influence" which comes from' living in artistic, attractive and refined surroundings is within reach of YOU and YOUR FAMILY if only YOU take advantage of "EDWARDS-EASY-TO-PAY-WAY." 3 Rooms Full of Fine New Furniture:::::: Sent directly to your home payment. Balance arranged to fit your individual convenience. Charming Eight-Piece Oak Dining Set 45-inch quarter eawed, flush rim top table large buffet with quarter - sawed top and front six very sturdily built Eolid oak chairs. Complete set at the epecial price of only S63.95 tJU ( Mb, SI Tt etUr Stamped with an air of refinement that places it on a plane out of long looked for is possessed. Four pieces, specially priced 0 ' 0JJ Pay the Edwards Way $7.50 Cash, $1.25 Week Fall Opening Sale Beautiful Cook With Coal or Gas or Both at the Same Time A time savei- a labor saver a fuel .aver. Equipped wtlh every sanitary feature known to range science. Different sizes and different styles now on display. Call at any time. All advantages of a Monarch will be gladly explained. Should you decide to buy a Monarch Range, your old stove will be taken in exchange. Balance arranged to fit your individual convenience. Your Credit Is Good as Gold! Whether You Need One Piece or a Dozen. 2 Blocks North of Washington St. $50 Worth $ 5.00 Cash, $1.00 Week $ 75 Worth $ 7.50 Cash, $1.50 Week $100 Worth $10.00 Cash, $2.00 Week $125 Worth $12.50 Cash, $2.25 Week $150 Worth. $15.00 Cash, $2.50 Week fVisririr"" rison mine, now the terminus of the Eastern Oregon ugnt rower pany's supply lines. AUSTRIANS TAKE 535 MEN Vienna Reports Heavy Artillery Fire Against aionte San Gabriele. VIENNA, Sept. 1. (Delayed.) "Heavy . artillery fighting continues against our positions on Monte San Uabriele and east of Gorizia," says to day's War Office statement. "While clearing our trenches on th northwest slope of Monte San Gabriele we brought in yesterday during des perate engagements 13 officers, S36 men and 12 machine guns. In the Tyrol and in the Carina dis trict torrential rains are hampering the activity." Pe Ell Men Ordered to Duty. CENTR ALIA, Wash.. Pept. 15. (Spe cial.) Sylvan Lyran, Fay McClellan. SIX YEARS' TEST BEST FOR. &-T HAVE used Santlseptlc for the X past six years," writes Frank T. Rogers, proprietor of one of Portland's finest barber itiopa. "If I eeuM not -?t It, 1 would be it i loss to knew what to do. It has been so plensin? to my trade. It has no equal for after having." antiseptic in. Indeed, an Indispensable after-shaving requi site. Its application relieves Immediately any irritaUiKi whatever, and prevents sub sequent irritation, no matter how close th$ suave. It leaves the skin velvety and pleasing- in appearance, cool and comfortable, and prevents infection. , 'It's - Easy - to - Pay - JLo on this small cash m -wi n it 1- ir" f ' -Mr'TrMi- " " i ' ; - - "rimim Piano and Reading The picture Im "layed" down, because the price la 'knocked." down. Straight through the lamp stock prices have been "bumped." You are risht; long "Winter evening's In the face be ready to enjoy that favorite Here you'll find lamps priced as low as bVset MesjCPWiS 'Have the Kind of Furnishings You Like Best" Ed Mayes, .Ben Anderson and W. Ban ish. Pe Kll men who recently enlisted in the Quartermasters' Corps, this week received orders to report to the Pre sidio f6r duty. Mayes and Anderson left Thursday for.Sah Kranclsco and the others today. ' Chester Rainey, of Tenlno. will enlist in a. regiment of foresters. New York. Honors Joffre. PARIS. Sept. 15. William G. Sharp, the American Ambassador to France, and the members of the embassy staff went to the headquarters of Marshal Joffre today and presented the Marshal with a branch of golden oak leaves tn behalf of the city of New York. The presentation of the golden branch was accompanied by an address illuminated upon parchment. Nebraska Horse Claims Xtw Record. JtEARNEV. Neb.. Sept. 15. Flower Forbes, a Nebraska horse, today broke what is claimed to be the world's mile reoord for & 2-year-old pacing filly. Her time was 2:15 on a half-mile track. PROVES IT AFTER SHAVING Santlseptlc Is different. It Is wnTike any other preparation used for this purpose. It is unperfumed. It leaves no odor. It is not sticky or A rwy. It obviates the necessity of using- powder, and leaves a finish which would be difficult to improve upon, aside from assuring; after-shaving comfort and a healthy skin. Santlseptlc Is easily procured at most drugs to res. a sood-Hized bottle cos tins; but r0c If your druggist cannot- supply it. twenty-five cents lu stamps or coin sent to the manufacturers, the Esbeneet t Labora tories. Portland. Oregon, will secure, post paid, a larsa introductory bottle. Adv. the - Edwards - Way'! HAIL! The Season's Sensation! yon could pay more, but you'd never get more in rest, comfort and satisfaction solid oak Settee, Rocker and Chair to match with leatherette upholstered auto cushion seats; Library Table has 42x24-inch top; either hand-rubbed "golden wax" or "fumed fin ish." An exceptionally big value. (j nA Four pieces as pictured t3rt7.Uv Pay $5.00 Cash $1.00 Weekly. Sleepwell," $15.75 45 pounds felted cotton, made up in lam inated layers. Guaranteed all new and sanitary ma terials only used in making Edwards' Sleepwell. Try one for 0 nights: If not satisfied, r.turu at Edward.' expense. " Tfs - Gur-te. . Pay - The - K.e- wtrdl - Way" W h e a nartnc X a t I m T..1 Just $1.50 Cash. Then 50c Weekly. Heavy Gauge, Blue Steel Body -. -i Heaters at Special Prices " Supreme Wood Lamps Beautiful M a h o srany Piano Lamp, with shade, priced for this sale at $14.90 are staring us book. o QQ TO fllR -What? ' Well, then. If It's coal you're going to burn this Winter, take a peep to your riprht at the MONARCH A heater that needs no in troduction. Appearance? Why. It puts a bouquet of red carnations in a sick room out of the run ning. Heavy cast firepot so shaped that "maximum heat" from "minimum" use of coal is secured. "Oh. yes" the price la only S22.50 Payable S1.0O Weekly. Fall Opening Sale Fine Blankets and Comforts -Fine "White and Gray Cotton Blankets, full double-bed size. Priced now at, the pair. $2.45 -"Wool-nap," the most popular blanket on the market today; they're warm, too. Tour choice of blue, tan and prray plaids, in full double-bed size, per pair. $3.95 "All Wool." the kind you think about, but seldom see. All are . a ray with neatly striped bor ders. At the present cost of wool they are worth $10. Full double-bed size, the pair. $7.50 RSSed v Cable Tread Base Mm?mk On slippery or soft road surfaces the remark able efficiency of Federal non-skid treads is very evident. Both Rugged (white) and Traffik (black) treads give a sureness of traction that ordinary "fancy" treads lack. They scien tifically combat skidding and wheel-spinning. This tread efficiency, though important, is incidental to the rugged durability that has made Federals known as the "Extra Service" Tires. You owe your car a set of them. MOTOR CARUPPLY CO., 84 North Broadway. Tho Federal Rubber Co. ef Illinois Factories : " Edwards New Heater, $16.75 To your left Is a pen ketch of the heater that equals its name, "St IMtKME." - Body is polished steel, in ner linings are of corru gated casting: has larjre front door and swing-top opening (for knots and blocks), double drafts, nickeled foot rails, band. top and urn. -Silkollne Covered Cotton Com forts, well made and sewed. Your choice of colors, each at $2.75 -Very Thick Comforts, with fancy bordered silkoline. Full double- bed size, all colors, priced special $3.98 -Wool Comforts that were bougTTt nearly a year ago (when wool was not so costly), priced now. with fine mercer ised, well-sewed covers, each at $7.50 Traffik Trsad Cudahy, Wis. (8)