must allow criticism and seek to profit by
it.

Here we get to the root of the matter. The original "Camp Committee"
was (to quote Mr. Gerard's words) "disbanded by the order of the
military authorities in February last (1915), because of its refusal to
co-operate with the captains and its insistence upon publishing notices
and minutes of its meetings after it had been forbidden to do so."[23]
This "Camp Committee" continued to object to the financial arrangement
and the general administration of Mr. Powell and the other captains, and
pressed their objections upon the Ambassador on August 23, 1915. "I
thereupon suggested that perhaps the best way would be to refer the
matter to a general election. To this the 'Camp Committee' demurred, and
upon my asking what suggestion they had to proffer appeared to consider
that they, a self-constituted body, should be given charge of the camp
by me. This proposition I naturally rejected, especially as the members
of this self-appointed committee were, although very estimable
gentlemen, _personae non gratae_ both to the majority of the prisoners and
to the military authorities.... A final decision of the question as to
whether the present government of Ruhleben is representative or not is
to be found in the election of September 15, 1915, when every one of the
captains at that time in authority was re-elected. The occasion was
caused by the decision of the military authorities to withdraw the
soldiers from the camp, and the captains therefore considered it
desirable that they should appeal to the camp for decision as to whether
it was wished that they should continue the government or not. I cannot
see that any further proof is required as to whether the captains
represent the feelings of the majority of the camp."

One cannot help asking oneself, was the critic a member of the
disbanded "Camp Committee"? The United States Ambassador on more than
one occasion proved himself capable of speaking very decidedly to the
German authorities of things he disapproved of. In this case, too, he
speaks (though not to the German authorities) with some decision:

A properly heated and lighted recreation and assembling room is
certainly extremely desirable for the damp and cold winter time.
A new barrack has been sanctioned by the military authorities
for the purpose, and I will do my best to press the work. I
might venture to suggest that if so many private individuals ha