The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-28

anthropic citizen Of Cen
eva. Switzerland. On
June IA, 1859, he CHANGED
y be present at the battle OF Solfer1-
VI and was an eye witness to the vast
.monnt Of unnecessary suffering that
resulted from the inability of the reg
nlar corps for the thousands of wound;
ed who lay upon the field.
Three years later he published
hook on his experiences at Solferino
and advocated an international con-
rention to provide for the aiding Of
tho wounded in war. This convention
which took place at Geneva in 1863,
neutralzed the surgical corps of hos
tila armies and volunteer societies
caring for the wounded. AS a compli-
meut to Switzerland the Swiss flag in
reversed colors, i. e., a red cross on
white field. was to be adopted uni
yersally and worn on arm bands by all
members Of the neutral stats. &C.
|reya has been since that time the
headquarters of the International Red
Cross society. I
Agency for Prisoners Of War.
On account of immediate mobili-
saton Of her army on Aug. 49, 1914,
Switzerland was unable to dispatch
|Red Cross ambulances to the bellig.
erent countries as she had been wont
Ito do in previous wars. However, the
International committee Of the Red
Cross under the brilliant chairman.
ship of its president-Gustave Ador,
lone of Geneva's foremost citizens was
not long in finding some other way to
become of service to suffering man.
kind 1t founded the agency for the
prisoners OF war, whose main purpose
is to act as intermediary between the
prisoners Of war and their families and
friends.
From October Is. 1914, to June 80.
1916, the agency sent over 470.339 let.
tiers with Information to families OF
prisoners: it received more than 1918
callers who came personally to ask
for Information: 1t transmitted more
than 100000 francs. and 30,665.331
packages to which 776,505 packages
must yet be added which were dis
patched directly from Geneva.
Soon after the outbreak Of the great
conflict came these pitiful armies OF
war sufferers: evacuated civilians.
homeless French and Belgian refugees
and informed civilians. when an ex-
change had been finally arranged for
The latter. Red Cross workers took
charge of these unfortunate travellers
within the Swiss boundaries; they
we're welcomed: fed,e clothed and
'heered upon their arrival at Geneva
II Schaffhausen.
The next phase of the melancholy
recession was the passage of the
irands blesses, German and French
'risoners Of war so seriously MANNED
md injured as to be of no further mil
lary use. An exchange Of such men
vas agreed upon early in 1915 and at
intervals ever since have the splendid
J equipped Swiss hospital trains trav-
led between Constance and Lyons,
oaded with dying, permanently Grip
ned OF insane prisoners.
hellef bureaus for the prisoners OIL
'ar We're also established soon after
ne outbreak OF the great conflict and |
'aie separate funds were created fos
ach country the committees in charge |
re guided by charity only.
A Great Postal Burden.
another huge charitable work is
eriormed by the Swiss postal author
les. The little mountain republic al
'ws 1ree postage not only to letters, |
ackages and money orders destined |
= prisoners of war, but also to all |
addressed by the pris- !;
lers and the interned civilians to
,eir relatives and friends in some OF |
se - most thickly populated countries
Europe.
ne mail matter which has thus
:, sen transmitted gratuitously since
ie outbreak Of the war mounts into
y