The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-24
Tragedy Turks in Little Black
Postal Insignia.
Returned for NOn-Deliyery,
"Decede" Tells the Story.
SWISS HANDLE SOLDIERS MAIL
Is Neutral Clearing House for
All Warning Nations.
100000 Sent From Home to
Soldiers Since War Began.

Berne, Switzerland, Jan. 24.-There
is one small postage stamp, with
black border and the single word:
''decede" (dead) which represents
greater tragedy than any battle in the
present war. 1t is the stamp used by
the International Mail service, con
Quoted by the Swiss government. be-
tween the prisoners of war of all ma
tions and their families, on letters di-
rected to soldiers who have fallen at
the front or died in hospital.
A large table is piled high with these
letters, each bearing the fatal de
cede" stamp. This is but one mail
and each days mail piles the table
again. They are to families in Eng
land, Germany, France, Turkey, Aus
tria, Japan-the entire range of fight
ing countries-for Switzerland has
taken over the entire work of admin
istering this mail service between
families and their men at the front.
For small country it is an enor-
nous work that Switzerland has thus
assumed, bearing the entire expense
without a penny's charge to anyone.
Located right in the heart of the car
mage. with the fighting nations on ev-
cry side, Switzerland is peculiarly
placed for effectively carrying on this
humanitarian work.
Postoffice Not Large Enough.
Accompanied by Secretary Breny
of the postoffice department who is
in direct charge of the work, the Asso-
ciated Press representative saw its
many branches of activity in full oper-
alton. Even the big general post Of
flee of Switzerland was not adequate
to carry on this international work,
and the huge gymnasium was brought
into service. Here the trapezeS and
/ flyingrings have been looped to the
side walls, along with rows of Indian
clubs and dumb bells, giving a free
/ 10 inf V
soldier mail. Long trains of mail-vans
are at the door, and some thirty to
fifty wagon loads of this mail are
/ handled dai1y-letterS to Bombay for
Turkish prisoners there by the Eng
| lish, or to NagaSaki, Japan, for Ger
man prisoners held there by Japan, as
well as the nearby transmission be-
tween France, Germany. England
Austria. Italy. Bulgaria, Serbia, Bel
GUM. etc.
A great pile of German mail had
just come in, and the bags were stack
/ ed up on the floor.
/ Here is something curious said
one of the officials, turning to the
! German mail bags. you will notice
4 they are made of paper-yes paper
mail bags. Usually mail bags are verg
/ stout, of leather or heavy canvas. But
/ lately we have noticed the Germans
are using paper for their bags. II
means a big saving on their hemp
/ ana the bags are strong ana service
able"
Bread Mailed to Soldiers.
All about, long lines of postal en-
ployees were at work sorting the sol
der mail-letters, packages and mon
ey orders-going to various countries
Many poor people mail a loaf of bread
daily to the son or father away at the
I front or in prison. One of the wrap
pings of a loaf of bread had broker
open. and disclosed that the sender
had ingeniously inserted a copy of the
Paris Matin inside the bread.
1t was doubtless done without NAL
ice, the officials said, by some poor
mother who wanted her son to get a
glimpse of the home paper. Most OF
! the packages made one sad to see
they were so pathetic in their meager-
ness and yet so full of silent love. One
was a small remnant of a Christmas
tree, with some of the tTinkets Gdher-
ing. Others were packages neatly di-
vided into small sections of chocolate
| tobacco, soap and other needs and