Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 307, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1915 — GET BEST OF CURE [ARTICLE]

GET BEST OF CURE

Interned German Sailors Are Allowed Many Privileges. Have Llttls Farm, Kaap Poultry and Got Bear From City—Buy Baseball Equipment and Try to Laarn the Game. Norfolk. Va. Perhaps nowhere else In the world, not even in their own country, could the welfare and personal comfort of 655 Germans be better looked after than in the case of this number of the kaiser’s subjects now interned at the Norfolk navy yard on the auxiliary cruisers Bitel Friedrich and Kronprinz Wilhelm. They are allowed more privileges than are American sailors. While recent orders of the navy department have for the time being put a stop to the liberty formerly granted the crews of the two ships, they are still accorded every courtesy to make their stay on shipboard as pleasant as possible. The government has even permitted the officers to have their wives and children on board, a privilege that is not accorded officers on American warships nor, so far as American naval officers know, to those of any other nation. Secretary Daniels some months ago issued an order banishing wines, beer or any other Intoxicants from American warships. The sailors on the Eitel Friedrich and Kronprinz Wilhelm are allowed beer, wines or anything else they want. The Germans are provided with the best of things to eat. Of course they pay for it They appear to be plentifully supplied with coin of the realm. The navy department permitted the Germans to cultivate a tract of land near the pier where their ships are moored, and this miniature farm is really a greater attraction for visitors than are the former sea raiders themselves. The interned Germans are an Industrious lot. When they were allowed unrestricted liberty they spent considerable time working theW garden and in making various little trinkets for friends and to send home. When they were not working they were walking the streets of Norfolk, rowing in the harbor or swimming in the surf at the various seaside resorts. Their garden is v fllled with potatoes, cabbages, tomatoes and other “truck.” They also have quite a number of sowl —geese, chickens and a few ducks. Geese appear to be the favorite fowl of the Germans, and goose dinners are on the bill of fare on both ships almost every Sunday. The Germans have provided unique and attractive little homes for their fowl. In America a place where chickens roost is called a “henhouse.” The Germans call them “homes.” A number of these “homes” have been erected on the land loaned to the Germans. Bach “home” is provided with a chimney and has a pathway leading to the door. The chimney is of no use because there is no fire. Not more than four chickens roost in one house. The Germans built the homes out of scrap lumber, wooden boxes and barrel tops. They are painted red and then striped in white paint to represent bricks. The/ are clean and attractive.

Captain Thierichens of the Eltel Friedrich and Captain Thierfelder of the Kronprlnz Wilhelm were seen recently standing on the pier at which their ships were moored watching a number of men from both ships trying to learn baseball. Over S2OO was spent in baying baseball equipment and several men of the interned ships showed every promise of mastering the game. Captain Thierichens apparently takes more interest in things American than does Captain Thierfelder, who appears to be downhearted; he says he would rather be fighting than remain here with nothing to do.. Captain Thierichens takes things as they come. He, too, says he would like to be able to fight for his country, but he believes that he and his men made a gallant record while they were raiding the sea for ships of the enemy. He laughs at American jokes and encourages his men to enjoy life while they can. He furnishes them with news from the war front by pasting brief items on a bulletin board. He permits his men to have games on the ships. He allowed them to have entertainments and to invite friends until six officers from the Kronprlnz Wilhelm violated their patrol and went to sea in the yacht Eclipse. Doctor Krugerneck, one of the officers missing from the Wilhelm, is said to have wept bitterly every time he received a letter from home or wrote one of his relatives. “He lost brothers and cousins in the war,” Captain Thierfelder told a friend who had’ noticed the doctor weeping. Captain Thierichens, who, according to American naval officers, is ft sincere and able commander, disapproves of the German officers violating their paroles. “A German officer never breaks his word,” he said. "I gave my word for all my man, and those who violate my confidence will be punished if they are caught.”