Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-21
PLANS COMPLETED FOR GETTING
WORD TO AND FROM GERMANY
AND ALLIED NATIONS.
RED CROSS TO ACT
AS AN INTERMEDIARY
Much Suffering and Suspense 20 be
Obviated in Plans to Permit Word to
be Sent to or Received From Prison
ers or Others Forced to Remain in
Countries Of Our Enemies.
[By E. G. Dougherty.]

Washington, Sept. 81. - Iowans who
have friends or relatives in Germany or
the territory occupied by the kaiser's
forces hereafter will be accorded the
privileges of communicating messages
and inquiries to persons within the do
main of Americas enemy at war thru
an arrangement just perfected by the
American Red Cross at the request Of
the state department.
In other belligerent countries this
communication is possible, since all
enemy subjects being held either as
civil or military prisoners of war have
the privilege Of correspondence granted
by international agreement. The United
States has not classed German civilians
as prisoners and consequently the clos
ing of the postal service to the central
powers has caused serious hardship.
The government of the United States
proposed, thru the American Red Cross,
to relieve this unnecessary suffering as
far as inquiries or communications linn
tied to the welfare and whereabouts OF
persons is concerned.
"iShihS W AAAe&hS Aidet's
concerning the welfare and where
abouts of friends or relatives in terri
tory belonging to or occupied by the
Teutonic powers may communicate
with the bureau of communication.
American Red Cross, Washington, D.
C. Proper inquiries and messages will
be transmitted on a special form to the
International Red Gross in Geneva.
From Geneva they will be forwarded
to the individuals for whom they are
intended.
Answers will be returned to the In
ternat;onaI Red Cross and by them will
in turn be despatched to Washington.
The Red Cross will then communicate
the information to writers Of the orig
inal letters. Two 2-cent stamps must
be enclosed for postage. A similar
method Is being devised for transmits
sion OF ipquiries from the Germanic
empire and it's occupied territory to
America. This also will be handled
by the Red Cross.
Restrictions to Be Enforced.
The bureau Of communication re-
serves the right to refuse any infor-
nation or inquiry which appears to be
contrary to the national interest. The
bureau will in a broad sense be censor
of all communications to avoid any in
formation reaching the enemy thru this
gratuitous system.
The bureau today issued the follow
ing directions to be observed by all
inquirers:
Letters must be addressed to the
bureau of communication: not to the
person concerning whom inquiry is
made.
Letters must be concise. since only
the briefest communication can be
sent.
They must mention only personal
matters, such as communications con-
corning the conditions of members Of
the family and requests for similar in
formation.
Letters must be legible and must be
in English, French, Russian, German.
Polish, Hungarian, Turkish. or Greek.
They must include the full name, adj
dress, and occupation of the sender and
the full name, address, occupation and
age Of the person for waom the inquiry
is destined.
Inquiries concerning the same person
may not be made oftener than once in
six weeks.