at brotherhood of
hearts which is the only way to peace. "These people," says Eugster in
another place, "ought to be treated with tact. They should not be
treated as enemy prisoners, but as men and chivalrous adversaries. A
little consideration, not costing much, will make a good impression. A
friendly word, as from man to man, breaks the ice of discontent, and the
chivalrous spirit of the superior is recognised with gratitude."

To reach this standard we must try to think the best of our
adversaries. Charity is something less meagre than justice, and it holds
the future of the world in its grasp. In the past we denounced French,
Russians, Irish and Boers in turn. It was not denunciation that did much
for the future, but the larger-hearted charity which took its place.

PRISONERS IN FRANCE.

M. de Marval reports well of the feeding of prisoners in France. There
is the usual difficulty about vermin. The officer prisoners seem, in
many ways, to have the worst time. "Their lodging is in general too
crowded, badly ventilated, and badly lighted ... and lacking in
elementary comforts. They can ... buy ... chairs, tables, blankets,
etc."[6] There was in France, as elsewhere, considerable complaint in
the earlier days as to the delivery of parcels. The parcels arrived
broken and partly or wholly emptied of their contents. So it was, we may
remember, with parcels intended for English prisoners in Germany. The
probability is that in both cases imperfect packing was responsible for
the damage. (Cf. pp. 6, 8.) In the report just cited, De Marval states
that, in general, there has been great improvement in the lodging of the
prisoners, and that some bad camps (Vitre, Lorient, Belle-Ile) have been
broken up (January, 1915). Here again the reports coincide with those
made upon German camps. In all countries the prisoners of war presented
at first a problem not readily solved, and great hardships resulted.
"Some of the hospitals," writes M. de Marval, "lack comforts, are not
sufficiently roomy, or do not possess the necessary medicaments." He
goes on: "I shall not delay over the retrospective complaints often
formulated by prisoners.... Officers who had been injured by the
populace or bound during transport and soldiers who had told me of bad
treatment were alike pleased to declare that all such things were
past." Here again the report is exactly paralleled by the American
report on the German Camps. (Cf. p. 16). "Religious service