Evening journal., 1915-06-10
SWITZERLAND FEELS
SCOURCE OF WAR
Nation Shudders Over Pos
sible Horrors Should People
Become Involved
THANKFUL FOR
AMERICAN RELIEF

The War Relief Committee makes
public the following letters from
Switzerland. addressed to Mrs. Speak
man, acknowledging with deep graft
tude the help extended to the suffer
ors and telling of the war conditions
IN Swtzerland
Lusanne, Switzerland, May 10.
Dear friend: I enclose Nine Mon
neron's note just received; she is
president of the war section of the
"Union des Femmes" for Canton of
Vaud and is untiring in energy and
capacity | though you might like to
see in her own handwriting about
Swiss sick soldiers sleeping on straw.
Tomorrow ! shall send her 500 francs
more, as some small checks will be
paid me at the bank here Nine Mon
neron is of an old Lusanne family
tTissOt) and has a permit from
France and Switzerland to carry
things in her auto direct TO Besancon.
Dole, Dijon, Aix-les-Ba Evain, etc.
Lots of the French refugees are being
taken 10 Evian now from the trains
at Lausanne: they are using some Of
the hotels to receive them. OF course
the Swiss Government is at an awful
expense in doing this work alone. to
say nothing of lots of others. SO one
can readily see why hospitals are
lacking OF course certain hospitals
near Berne and the Alsace frontier
are in very good shape; also the ones
In Lausenne and Geneva, but all in
the Valais are deplorable. If Switzer-
land should become involved I shud-
der to think of what would happen
10 the soldiers. After the first visit
10 St Maurice Il was so awful We did
not know what to buy first. had
SEQ sent me by friend before
your money came. and with that we
bought the things she speaks of in
her letter, and with 100 francs pre-
viously received. SOME mattresses. So
now come the beds. With the money
7 shall send tomorrow (again 500
francsl pillows, bedding. etc, must
be bought. When Italy goes in, II
means 5000 soldiers stationed in the
forts at st. Maurice, so We must have
that hospital in shape to receive the
Tck Oh. dear It is sickening to
women with hearts. The weather is
simply glorious and il is a pleasure
10 live. We are only nine people in
this house: the hotels will have a
hard time this year; hundreds will
not attempt to open. With kndest
regards, always. sincerely.
Jeanne d'Estimauyille.
Lusanne. Switzerland, April 80.
Dear Mrs Speakman: Yesterday
received your card. and today a post
Office order for 1O3 francs. Many
many thanks for all you have done
and are doing. I sent 500 francs to-
day to pay for beds and mattresses
for the St. Maurice Hospital, which
will never have Germans. only Swiss
and French So now no Swiss soldier
will be compelled TO lie on the floor
OF the St Maurice Hospital. at least
If Italy goes in 5000 Swiss will be
in the forts de Daily and all those III
must go TO the military hospital OF
St. Maurice. There are 900 soldiers
in the forts nov. I have sent nearly
600 personal packages with notes en-
closing from two to seven garments
and in every case have been told my
gift was the only received; in many
many cases the men had had no shirts
or drawers. but had put newspapers
about their bodies. I know of two
men especially who, up TO February
10. when ! found it out. had been al
winter in the forts de Daily without
shirts or drawers. | know number
of young medical students who are
corporals at the forts. and they have
gone among the men and found on
their condition for me. All the Swiss
seem to feel they must not complain
as their lot is so much better thai
their comrades in other countries.
received a nice note from your siste
on receipt of the money sent her from
YOU. There arc a number of otho
smaller hospitals in the Rhone vale.
which must be taken up next. But
thought Il better to get the principa
enc at ST. Maurice in some kind o
shape first. Thank you, thank you
thousand times: you and all other
whom | know who have contribute
in money or supplies With wha
pleasure we will open the boxes.
can hardly wait. |. too. am happ
like you in feeling that can do some
thing for my beloved Swiss. roall
pdore this country. The German
speaking Swiss are getting their eye
open at last. These poor Frenc
people from Lille. Valenciennes. etc
(55,000) who arrived almost naked
has made the people of Zuricf
Basle, Berne and Schaffhausen real
ize conditions as nothing else coult
All the German men are leavin
switzerland: men who we're born an
never considered they would be call
ed to Germany Germany is callin
every man and boy to her colors. OF
the sadness of It all; the weather
glorious. balmy. clear; mountain
clothed in white flowers everywhere
hut. alas. no tourists The hotels a
Interlaken hardly think they ca
open. Lucerne has but few guests
With love from us both, Always mos
sincerely. Jeanne d'EstimauvilIe.
W. .,....4 ~. -,