New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-28
u. S. MINISTER HIS
own BOOKKEEPER
Bucharest Official Swamp
ed with Work of War
ring Nations.
VOPICKA PUTS IN
IS HOURS A DAY
Banking Experience Helps, but
Not Equal to Jargon OF
Ten Tongues.

Bucharest. Feb. TO- Charles j. No-
picka. of Chicago, the American Minis
ter 20 Rumanis, Servis and Bulgaria
has found himself in q peculiar posi-
tion as a result Of the war. The de-
mands upon him have been such thaI
when an Associated Press correspond
cnt visited him At his palatial home IN
Bucharest the American Minister was
wrestling with bookkeeping and CORE
snondence in all me ten languages Of
Central Europe.
He was sitting behind large desk
strewn with letters. each containing
either a request for information "a TO
the fate Of some missing soldier from
Austria Hungary. Germany. SerNia or
Russia or money order for some
prisoner Of war.
This q the second OF our five daily
mail deliveries said he, and so TAR
have received lO2 letters. Ny small
staff is so overworkcd that am
Obliged 10 lend a hand. thought TINS
would be only until somebody could be
found TO do the work But sucn PEG
ME are extremely scarce IN kumania.
So | started in 20 keen books and rec
ords and wnar not. set as mail cierS
and about the only thing J have not
done 80 far is 20 take my letters 10
the postohce.'
In private life Mr. Nopicka Is q
1ve,lthy CHICAGO banker
II have come 10 like the work, ne
said after telling how he spent rom
twelve to sixteen hours IN oookKeeQlng
eacn day. Each little effort IN behalf
Of these poor men means not only com
fort for them, but reinsurance TOR some
poor soul at home. | retransmlt money
from persons in Austria Hungary, Ger
many. Scryia and Russia to prisoners
Of war held in the enemy's country.
"Somc OF the amounts transmitted
are humble mites for prisoners whose
relatives had to save hard 70 spare
even the little they send. The remit
tances 10 officers are larger as rule
Some Of the Austrian prisoners held
by the Serbs are wealthy men who re-
ceive morey from home in thousands
+ 81 must deal here in German marks
! Austro-Hungsrian kronen, Serviar
francs. Russian rubles and Rumanlan
/ lei. | am glad that ! had at least
/ little experience as banker, for other
wise my predicament would be worse
; than il is
A few weeks ago the American MIN
ister made a trip TO Servia TO inquire
into the treatment of the Hun
carian prisoners Of war He reported
that the men were we'll treated. They
are given three substantial meals
dav. and few OF them complained. -.
Mr.. Vopicka said that DR.. Edward "
RYAN. who is in charge Of the Amer
can Red Cross unit in Servia, was nov
in control of all the Servian military
hospitals. and that his efforts were
greatly appreciated by the Serylar
government. DR.. Ryan found a wotu
disregard for the essentials IN nos
pital sanitation, and started in by IN
sisting that all the hospital floors b'
scrubbed once a day-in the morning
AT first he had great difficulty enforc
ing this. Now. however. clean floors
have become a habit with which ever
the Serbs are loath to part. Durlnl
the bombardment of Belgrade shell
hit one of the hospitals under Or
Ryan's control. killing one nurse AM
wounding an American nurse slightly