Evening star., 1918-08-25

near Bern" the Germans re-
ported. Thousands of boxes
of food and clothing from
the quartermasters department OF the
A. e. r. have arrived already. Car
loads of supplies are going to Beum-
pliz every day. Die Amerikaner' have
purchased box factory, whsre they
are hiding these things. Take care. or
tho Americans will come before you
, know it." 49,.
German propagandists spread the
rumor In Switzerland. It could be
heard every day in the hotels and
cafes. The pro- German press was mo-
bilized and the finger Of hate was
pointed ct the United States. Swiss
citizens, neutral. pro-boche and In
different. became interesteu: some
were even excited. could 1t be pos
sible." they asked themselves and
their neighbors, that America intend
ed to violate Swiss neutrality?'
, I. arrived in Switzerland as the
storm was breaking. Coming direct
no reports in Washington or New
York OF an American invasion Of
Switzerland or Of Germany. told the
SWISS with whom I spoke, that "there
was nothing to the German rumors;
that Germany was only trying to
But the Germans can prove It,"
they answered. "Beumpliz is filled
with army supplies and Beumpliz is
IN
many"
Beumpliz was a little town near
Bern which was not even known to
the great mass Of Swiss citizens. 1t
had a box factory, a depot and a few
score houses and stores. The box fac
tory had been bought "by American
capital" according to rumor.. and the
American Army was buying land and
property nearby!
Reports Of an American invasion Of
Switzerland ito strike at Germany"
became so general that the Swiss gov
ernment had to take some action; not
that Switzerland doubted Americas
intentions, but because public opinion
: had been aroused by German agents
and the German lie had to be silenced.
So committee was appointed to jour-
ley to Beumpliz.
When the commission arrived at tho
oox factory 1t found a number Of good
Swiss citizens. mostly girls and wom-
Several men were working at plan
ing and saving machine; others were
Mailing together small boxes. An
american from the far west, a former
secretary to a United States senator.
vas in charge. The committee looked
around. Into boxes and barrels. In
some rooms the boxes from the quar-
tIermaster's depot of the American
Army in France, with the official
Army seal still intact. were piled to
the ceiling. several rows deep. On
some Of the boxes some one had hasti-
ly painted q red cross In the habit
of marking 80 many objects at the
front with the Red Cross emblem, the
Germans charged that the American
Army was using this to disguise tho
supplies for the American Army Of
The commission made a thorough
investigation and returned to Bern.
a call was made at the American lega-
ton and an explanation was asked.
The legation had already informed the
which Ellis Loring Dresel was direct
Ing at Beumpliz. but the officials well
',omed this chance to clear any mis-
Understandings. The American reply
was simple but effective.
,s"ra,oss ,Thoss supplies" SUPP les. said a legation
bSSsSlAAyb hHCTICAH pTlSOn-
FRS of war who may be interned in
German camps" This was the sub
stance of the statement: the exact
words do not know. The entire mat
Ter had been explained to the State
Department, however. and within a
few days the United States govern
meht informed the Swiss confedera-
lion. through official channels. that
America would respect Switzerland's
neutrality as long as It was respected
by Germany. England and France, to
show their sincerity and good will,
made similar declarations, and an
other German lie, spread IN this neu-
trail country to cause excitement and
hostile feeling, was placed in the huge
volume which history Is writing-a
volume which has to be enlarged every
day to hold all the false statements
which come, directly and indirectly,
from Berlin.
Only In one respect was the German
charge true! The United States Red
Cross Society did intend to invade
Germany through Switzerland, but
only to feed and clothe American pris-
0ners of war, to do something which
'lernany would not and could not do!
Switzerland was selected for Lead
4 arters because of the splendid facili-