East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-08-26
UNCLE SAM KEEPS
HIS HEAD WHILE
EUROPE STRUGGLES
(By Burton X. Standlsh. written for
the United Press.l

(By Burton X. Standish, written tor
the United Press.)
WASHINGTON. Aug. 26.-In these
uncertain days Uncle Sam Is about the
only great world figure who is keep
ing his head Uncle Sam today Is
standing not only for peace at home
but he Is doing everything he can to
keep the 100000 Americans scatter
ed throughout the European war zone
content and safe.
AS soon as he saw the first wal |
cloud coming across Europe he es-
tabHshed in the state department a
bureau Of information and immedi- !
ately notified his 235 diplomatic and
consular representatives in the war
ring countries 10 look out for Am
ericans."
In Washington the headquarters
were established. A large room on the
first floor Of the department used by
the consul bureau was designated the
information office. A half dozen Of
flciais Of the consular service were
designated to act as clerks and the
latch string was hung out. the coun-
try was notified and since then the
| bureau has been "swamped."
First 1t undertook to inform rela-
| tlves or friends in the United States
OF the whereabouts and condition Of
their relatives or friends travelling in
I Europe. II business man in Spring
field had relatives in Germany he
asked the state department to cable
the American consul at the station
nearest the last stopping place Of the
tourist. This the state department did
and when the reply came the business
man was notified Immediately
Few hours passed. however. until
the bureau discovered 1t would have
to come to the financial relief of Am
orleans kilograms poured into this
country that travellers checks Of the
tourists and their letters OF credit
would not be cashed. 1t became me-
cessary for friends and relatives in
this country to come to their assist
ance and semi-official banking bust
! ness was started.
The first day $4,000 was received
/ anu iOI dEutu W IsuIODtdH pOlulos
The second day checks ranging from
500 to $4,000 and $4,000 were de-
! posted to be forwarded abroad.
In this way the information bureau
not only looked after the inquiries
from persons here in the United States
but II sought to put ready money in
the hands of stranded tourists.
r-. l.
let me cite an instance OF New
Yorker who came to Washington to
find out about a daughter some
where in France" He gave her itin-
erary and stated Just where she had
expected to be on that day. The
clerk took zher name and address and
the Information her father gave. He
explained to the father that the state
department has no funds to pay for
kilograms and that it would cost him
between nineteen and twenty-five
cents a word TO send the cable.
The father said he would pay any
bills and deposited $4,000 with the
clerk with the understanding that all
except the state department expenses
should be forwarded to his daugh-
ter BY midnight Of that day mes
sage was en- rounte to the consul near
where the girl was expected to be. The
consul was notified to pay to the girl
the money
1 This incident IS dulicated in scores
( of ways every day. Men and women
in near by cities are coming to the
/ bureau while those in other parts Of
the country are wiring their congress-
men to inquire for them. on the day
the bureau opened more than fifty
congressman inquired in behalf of the
I constituents. Practically the whole
Minnesota delegation in congress call
cd first
i A large number of Norwegians were
somewhere in northern Germany en-
route to a convention in Norway.
Friends and relatives in the northwest
I were concerned about their safety and
the state department started an in
vestigation As this is written 1t has
not been concluded.
According to the state department
register the number OF consular Off
cials in the countries in the war ter
ritory are as follows: Germany 50:
France, s1; Austria Hungary. II:
Russia, 90; Italy. 2S: Servia 3
In the same countries the United
States has twentv-nine officers in the
various diplomatic stations.