Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-12-17
IS ANGEL OF MERCY
Alfonso Of Spain Busiest Mon
arch in Europe.
He Conducts Clearing House for In.
formation About the missing" in
the War-Every inquiry Ee.
ce.ves Attention.

Madrid.-king Alfonso of Spain is
perhaps the busiest sovereign Of Eu-
rope these days. although his country
is not at war, nor likely to change it's
policy of neutrality as long as the war
lasts. That strict and continued neu.
trality, without any political reasons
why either side of the belligerents de-
sires to have Spain change 1t. gives
King Alfonso the privilege Of appeal
ing to any country at war for news OF
soldier husbands, brothers or sweet
hearts. He is doing so for all the
women of Europe. receiving and re-
plying to several hundred letters ev.
cry day. They come from French
countesses. English servant girls. from
Austrians, Germans. Russians and Bel
gians. They are so numerous. num-
bering altogether about $4,000, That
one whole floor in the royal palace In
Madrid has been given up to post
Office. where the king has installed
numerous secretaries familiar with the
various languages and adept at read
ing every variation of handwriting.
1t all started some months ago,
when young lady of France. &C.
qainted with the kings gallant char
acter. appealed to him to discover the
whereabouts of her fiance. She under.
stood he had been made prisoner OF
war. but her own government could
give her no exact information. She
had written to the German govern
ment, but as her communication had
not passed through the proper chan
mel it, of course, was never answered.
Sire: A desolate lady asks your
protection. Spain is the land of chiv.
airy. and your majesty is the greatest
Hidalgo of CASTLE, and feel certain
will hear me" she wrote to King AL
fonso. relating the steps she had al
ready taken without success to learn
II her fiance were still in the land of
the living.
The letter reached the eyes of the
king. He was touched by its appeal
and at once wrote to the Spanish Am
bassador in Berlin to see what could
be done. He was soon able to report
the good news that the soldier in
question was safely housed in a prison
camp near Leipzig. The telegraph
carried the happy tidings to the royal
palace in Madrid, and from there to
Paris.
The whole investigation had taken
tu,1 a viff1o
Parisienne was so wild with Joy that
she told everybody. Dozens. then hun.
dreds, of other desolate ladies fol-
lowed her example, and their serv.
ants followed theirs; the story went
from country to country that anyone
could write to the gallant king of
Spain and he would certainly discover
what was the address where letters
could be sent to the missing soldier
Not long ago the wife of an English
private received long communication
from the king, written in reply to her
letter. His majesty took just as much
pains with this letter and sent it off
with just as many indications on the
envelope that it had come from the
royal palace as if he had been reply
ing to a royal princess. His secretary
wrote:
Although his majesty's embassy in
Berlin is charged only with the inter-
ests of France and Russia, his males
ty, being DESTROYS, nevertheless, of
demonstrating his interest in British
subjects, has graciously acceded TO
your request. and has communicated
with the Spanish ambassador In Der.
lin, commanding him to communicate
with Great Britain's representative
there-the United States ambassador
in order that the necessary investi-
cation may be made. His majesty
earnestly hopes that these inquiries
may be the means OF procuring salts.
factory information for you"
In this case it was Ambassador &C.
rard who served as the first cavalier
to the distressed English wife, passing
the news on to the Spanish ambassa.
dor that the husbands health was ex.
cellent and that he was safely interned
along with his comrades, not particu.
larly enjoying war bread" but hop.
ing foS better times.
al The king has thoroughly organized
this labor of mercy. anG every letter
received is Immediately acknowl.
edged. #l.... gss 81
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