South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-12
KING ALFONSO
AIDS WAR VICTIMS
Royal Palace at Spain Be-
sieged With Letters to
Assist UnfOrtunateS.

l4lfN lfi1 n. Nav I-.--l ter.l itill1
the great WORK OF renewing some %
the suffering and anxiety Of the war
which is being carried out by kim
Alfonso 90 spain. an Englishwoman
writes from Madrid.
The ROYAL palace 81 Madrid has
been the scene of many strange
events in the course Of It's checkered
history. and today something is hap
pening which may not. indeed. ar
rest tho attention n the historian.
Tut which will leave a lasting In
i.rcssion in many "a home throughout
the length and breadth of Europe.
zone day. "a year OF so ago, des-
pairing mother wrote TO King Al
fonso imploring his help 20 find her
missing soldier son. The king made
iuquils-s through his ambassador in
Eerlin. and the missing son was
found The good deed could not be
hid. and letters began 10 arrive from
an the belligerent nations and IN
many languages imploring his
majesty's aid in some sorrowfIl
quest The king. with his habitual
generosity. undertook the work OF
mercy with right good viii and
mo small success, and the food Of
correspondence greatly increased.
In the northeast corner Of the
palace. under the direction Of Don
Emilio de Torres. the kings private
secretary. an office has been organ
lied which. from small beginnings.
is ever assuming l2rger proportions.
Spain is CHARGED with the inter
osts Of ali the allied nations except
England. both in Rerlin and Vienna,
and with the interests Of Austria
I'm Rome.
Letters Are Varied.
NO two letters are allie. Tre
petition may refer TO some officer or
soldier Of one Of the allied armies.
last heard OF on any field OF battle
from Flanders TO the Bukowina.
from the Baltic TO MesOpotamia; u
a missing family in the occupied
provinces Of France or Belgium, 10
a wounded soldier 10 be released. or
a condemned civilian 10 be reprieyed.
1T may ask for news of a long
lost child OF petition for a marriage
10y proxy; IL may be signed by the
greatest lady IN the land. or by the
Eumblest cottager; all receive equal
attention.
Each letter is docketed. indexed.
and filed according TO the subject
matter and the country Of origin.
and acknowledged by return of post
The request IS then forwarded with
fun particulars r. Senior Polo de
CasaIez in Vienna. and through them
to the German or Austrian govern
ments.
The reply. as soon as received.
is conveyed in a tactfully worded let
te- 10 the inquirer. often anticipated
10y telegram ~ the news is good,
and accom- panied If bad by an ex-
preston of the kings personal cor
defence: ia this case the bad news
Is broken through the priest or the
mayer Of the parish, so that it may
be broken gently and opportunely.
Send 100000 Missives.
some idea OF the extent Of the
work may be gathered from the fact
that nearly 100000 letters hay e
already been dealt with from France
alone. while the postal ard tcie-
graphic expenses are said 10 have
amounted in two months 10 about
$1,000.
AS English interests in Berlin
are in the hands Of the American
ambassador. etiquette requires that
inquiries relating 20 British subjects
should be made through him alone:
but. whether owing 20 misunticr-
standing or o. the strong attraction
exercised by the chivairous charac-
ter Of the king Of spain upon all
those in distress. letters soon be-in
10 arrive from England also
When il is suggested that his
majesty might well be excused from
accepting this additional burden. ne
replies. Not at all. / am colonel Of
a British regiment. they are an my
comrades IN arms. I shall do what
7 can for them. And so ne does.
the inquiry beins forwarded i'm each
case through the kind offices of the
American ambassador in Berlin.
The labor entailed by this deli
cate and more complicated task is
both arduous and eNacung. but no
work in Madrid is more eagerly OF
conscientioUsly performed. The care
which senior de Torres has bestoW ed
upon the minutest details of the or
ganization. the great tact with which
ne has chosen the form Of words 60
be employed in elch individual case
proclaim 1t every STAGE that this rs