The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-09-12
FREES 100000
| WAR PRISONERS
SWitzeriand's Good Offices Bring
Exchange Of BeIigerent
& Legions.
AID RENDERED TO MANY
Almost 100000 Letters Were peIiv
cred to captives Up to June -
Many Americans Are informed
In Swiss Republic.

We h&fAltfes
Berne.-More than 100000 prisoners
Victims OF the war, were exchanged and
returned to their home lands up to the
middle Of last month by the interven-
tion and good Offices of Switzerland,
says the Bund. the ~mouthpiece OF the
Swiss government. In a plea for a more
generous and reciprocal treatment by
the belligerents.
After the war had begun Switzer.
land organized an international bureau
OF Information for prisoners Of war,
with its seat at Geneva. This bureau
forwarded Information to the relatives
OF prisoners of war and shipped food
and d~elicacies TO the prisoners them
selves.
As early as October, 1914, Swltzer-
land suggested to the belligerents the
exchange of prisoners severely wound
ed The pope became interested In
this matter and supported the efforts
OF Switzerland. In February, 1915, an
agreement was reached regarding the
conditions of exchange. Switzerland
placed the hospital trains OF its own
army at the disposal of the bellIger-
ents for the transportation of the
wounded.
The agreement was first entered into
by France and Germany. Later Aus
tria and Italy accepted the same terms.
Early In 1916 the Swiss federal eoun-
ell. aided by the pope, succeeded In
bringing about an agreement permit
ting the internment OF severely wound
ed and sick prisoners OF war, civil as
well as military, within Switzerland.
The Swiss undertook to manage this
vast work of charity. The Swiss sur
geon general of the army was In direct
charge OF caring for the suffering SOL
diers.
Agreement 10 Reached.
Later the Swiss federal council, aid
ed by the international Red Cross at
Geneva. succeeded In inducing the bel
1igerents to again respect the interna-
tional agreement regarding hospital
and sanitary field workers.
International law demands the Inn
mediate discharge of members Of sanl-
tary detachments when taken prisoner.
This law was d~isregarded by belliger-
ents. but Switzerland's entreaties and
admonitions put a stop to the practice
and led to the liberation Of these pris-
oner8.
Finally the agreement to exchange
the permanently disabled was reached
IN March Of last year. Efforts of the
6wias federal council led to the &C
ceptance OF this agreement by France
Germany and Belgium. 1t meant the
repatriation Of all prisoners Of wal
permanently disabled to an extent
which would preclude their ever join
Ing the army again. Also tuberculosis
prisoners, those clinically cured as well
a those still needing treatment. were
to be re~patriated.
Following this the scope Of the re
patriation program was vastly extend
ed when France, Germany and Bel
gium agreed to exchange all prisoners
Of wal forty-eight years of age and
older who had been interned more thar
eighteen months. This applied to pri
Yates and noncommissioned officers
only. Commissioned officers were t.
be interned In Switzerland.
And lastly another agreement wa
brought about by the efforts of thu
Swiss government. 1t still further ex
tended the scope of the exchange con
ditions. All civil prisoners were to b,
freed.
Many Return to Homes.
The freeing and exchanging of these
prisoners has been In progress for some
time. Long trains filed with these for
mer soldiers are passing through
Switzerland every day In both direc
lions, taking these unfortunate victims
back to their old homes.
Up to the middle Of last month NOR
than 10000 prisoners Of war ha,
passed through Switzerland on thei
wny to liberty. Some Of these soldier
we're In q most pitiable state. The PEG
pie Of Switzerland played the part o
the GOOD Samaritan by feeding. cloth
lng md ~Consoling these poor sufferers
n o0dlti0n Switzerland has been tn
connecting link In mail communicated
between belligerent countries. Up t
- 1rst Of June Switzerland withou
Ghorge transported 19.796yO00 letter
md cards to prisoners Of war. 1870
parcels weighing no more than tw
pounda. l14y67e,O0O letters and card
n tpnncff 10 60R 000 small narcaIs A