Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-27
TRAGEDY SHOWN
ON STAMP WITH
BLACK BORDER
Word DECIDE Used on Let
tiers to Soldiers, Tells Pitt
full Tale of Death in Battle
to Survivors


Hrfne. Switzerland. Jan 4, There
Is one small postale stamp. Win
black border and the single w'ro
"decede" (dend). which represents n
greater tragedy Than any battle IN INC
present war II Is the stamp used ny
the International mail service con-
Quoted by the swiss government. be-
tween the prisoners of war Of all ma
lions and their families, on letters d.
rccfed 10 soldiers who have fallen NJ
the front on died In hospital.
large table ts piled high with
these letters, each bearing the fatal
stamp "docedc.' This is but one mail
land each days mail piles the table
lapnln Thcy are to families IN Eng
land. Germany, France, Turkey, Aus
trim, Iapan--the entire rAnfe OF the
lighting countries FOR switzerland
has taken over the entire work OF ad-
lmnlsterlng this mail service between
families and their men at the 'front.'.
For small country Il Is an enor-
nous work that switzerland has mus
assumed bearing the entire expense
without pcnny'A charge to anyone.
Located right ia the heart Of the err
mage. with the fighting naiiona on
every side, switzerland Is peculiarly
humanitarian work. II n like the dip-
lonatic work which the United states
assumed for the different countries
but the magnitude Of the work y
probably greater, owing to the vast
ness of these daily mails between all
the Fighting countries Aud yet
Switzerland does this work simply ana
without noise, and few know Of the
extent az tho undertaking.
Accompanied by Secretary Breny Of
the postofficc department. who Is In
direct charge Of the work, the Assoc
clnted Press representative saw us
many branches OF activity In fun op-
GRAFTON. Even the nIg general post-
office Of Switzerland was not adequate
TO carry on this international work
and the husc gymnasium was
hrouRht into service. Here the tra-
pczes and flying-rings have been
looped 90 the side walls, along with
rows of Indian clubs and dnmb-bells,
giving a free open space for the enor-
nous influx of soldier mail Long
trains of mail vans are M the door,
aud some thirty TO fifty wagon-lohds
OF this mail are handled dnily~~lct-
tcrs to bombay for Turkish prisoners
IFcld by the English, or to Nagasakl
Japan, for German prisoners hrld
there by Japan us well M tn" nearby
transmission between France, Ger
many, England, Austria, Italy, sui
garia. Serbia. Belgium. etc.
Huge Pile of Mali.
great pile Of German mall had
lust come In and the bags WVTV
stacked up on the floor.
Here ip something curious, SAID
nfFtafuI turning Ia INC
Grfman mailrhnga. 'yeu will notice
they are made Of paper-~yes, paper
mail-bagH uuaually mail-bngs are
very stout, Of leather or heavy can
vas. But lntely We have noticed the
Germans are using paper for thef
bngs. II means big saving on thell
hemp, aud the bugs are strong ana
acrvice0ble."
Taking a knife, one of the paper
mall-baE was cut, showing great re-
sletnnce. Il appeared 20 be new
quality of paper. with fibre almost
like the mesh of cloth, hut unmistak-
ably paper.
III ls remarkable" said an onlook-
err chow the Germans set up ser
viceable substitute as soon as they
run out Of any article
Here IL another curious and siKnit-
icant fact said the official IN charge
OF the gymnasium mails He. held up
"A largo cnrd. a foot square. on which
he had placed twcnty-onc samples OF
rope and twlne,
Those show the ingenious suhsll-
tutcs the Germans are now using TOT
ordinary rope and twine, said he.
The samples were from various
mail bundles from Germany fheN
RANGED in size from "A amAll-si2e rope,
about one eighth inch thick to orul-
nary string None Of the twenty-uhe
samples had any hemp Most OF the
small strings aud twincs had tlne
inner wire, to give tensile strength
wound With paper 70 give an oule'
finish aud feasibility The heavier
ropes were of paper with ArahuF
wound together IN a stout materinL
Rut the little inner wire seemed me
thosis Of strength In these atranSc
German suhptitutcs for hemp rope anu
cord. required 20 enormously IN ofdi-
nary business aud commerce
sorting soldiers Letters.
All about. long lines OF postal enl-
ploves were ut work sorting the SOL
dicr mail-~letters, packages ana mon
cv ardcrs-~going to various countries
MANY moor people mail a Loaf OF brend
daily Ia the son or father away ~ IN"
front or in prison. one of the wrap
nines of a lnnf nf bread mad broken
onen and disclosed that the sender
had ingeniousiy Inserted a copy OF the
paris Matln inside the bread, rms
was doubtless done without mahSr,
Inc officials said. by some poor moth
All, who wanted her son to get 4