Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-09-10
WERE PRISONERS Of
WAR IN swift ZER[AND
Visitors Unexpectedly Detained With
European World On Fie--Some Try
ing Experiences, Swiss People
Show Kindness.

Geneva from Paris by automobile, wer
forced to turn their machine over to
the army and get into Switzerland as
best they could.
Around the consul offices and depots
were many weeping women who looked
upon their fathers, husbands, brothers
and friends possibly for the last time.
| A pail hung over this peaceful city
where the Alabama claims were set
tied and some distance from the pres
ent seat of war. What could the pic
ture have been in tn e zone of conflict
Sad Experiences
There were some strange individual
experiences. One woman had been in
Titanic disaster and this year had ven
ured from America to Europe again.
What was her displeasure and sha-
ken faith at the uncertainty of travel
on sea and in foreign lands?
A Russian officer was in Geneva on a
visit. He was notified to join his com
mand by August 10 and this was i'm
possible. His government doessnot ex-
cuse him for not returning. He lost
his position in the army and can never
return.
| At our hotel was an Austrian, who
was naturalized in England, and ia resi-
dent of London. He made army sup
plies in Germany, France and England.
He could not hear from home and did
not know but that part or. all of his
factories had been plundered for sup
plies. ~, a.
A Frenchman worth million. bade
goodbye to his wife and babies at a
hotel and hurried to the front Loyalty
to country is at least a mile deep all
oyer Europe.
| In Paris a rich German hotel man
| erected wireless tower on his building
and was promptly killed.
No Paris papers came and it was
week before they arrived from London
then they were a week old. Those
who could not read the French and
Swiss papers printed in Geneva leaned
heavily on their friends for news. At the
office of the u. S. consulate bulletins
were posted and these received.close per
usal all day long. Ambassador Herrick
at Paris telegraphed at the endiof tn
| Aho@ in
should be thankful they were in such
protected place and to remain where
they were. Occasionally passengers
came through from Paris and they re-
ported great distress in travel In
Paris and German cities all had to
keep off the streets at night and
in some cases foreigners dare not ven-
ture out at ALL
Not Near the Battlefield
Geneva is situated in the southeast
part of Switzerland at considerable
distance from the German frontier.
The nearest fighting was at Basic
where the Swiss, French and German
countries come together. To this point
the Swiss soldiers rushed and fortified
their possessions. A thousand or more
marched through Geneva in going from
one station to another and soldiers
could be seen at all times where there
was government property.
At the hotels it was noticed that the
walters and others disappeared one by
one-all going to war. Their places
were filled by boys beneath the military
age and others. At the drinking cafes
and other places the crowds grew less
and less as the German, French and
Swiss hurried to war.
Those Americans, who expected to
| be on the coast in time to take their
boat, were sad and did not know what
to do. Those who expected to sail later
were hopeful and those who had tickets
on German boats were told they were
worthless. Not only did we 10000 or
more Americans on.the continent realize
our vacations were ruined. that many
living in Europe would lose all they
had, even their lives, but that the great
est war of the century was at hand and
the end could not be seen. So ended
the first week with the European world
on fire and we prisoners of war in a
Swiss city.
H. E. COLE.