Another 10,000 prisoners of war: are expected to pass through Harbin in the course of a week, en route for the Ussuri District, and it seems probable that the authorities will continue to make these shipmente of human freight to the eastern outposts of their Empire. There is plenty of room and the expense of maintenance, once their destination is reached, is considerably lower than in the west, besides there is plenty of demand for labour, which can be utilized at a minimum cost.
The wild stories that are being sent from the United States about the treament of prisoners sent to the Siberia by the Russians are absolute fabrications. They are both well fed and warmly-boused in the trains. Of course many are raggedly clad but with such numbers to look afte: the authorities cannot right matter entirely at once. From personal oh servation and contact with the pris oners in question, I know that th: sullenness and ill-will borne by many of the Germans from Northerr Germany is excessive, and some it responsible observers have taken the views of these individuals, who have only themselves to blame. As prisoners of war they should make th best of things, just as the Austrians are doing.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.