The sun., 1918-08-18
FREES 100000
WAR PRISONERS
Switzerland's Good Offices
Bring Exchange Of Bel
ligerent Legions.
AID RENDERED ITO MANY
Almost 100000 Letters De-
llvered to Captives
Up to June 1.
AID RENDERED ITO MANY
Specie, coyyesponde-ce TO TIL, ST

Special Correspondence TO The SuS.
BRRNE. July 30.---More than 100000
prisoners. fictims of the war. were eH-
changed and returned to their homo
lands UP to the middle Of this month by
the Intervention and good offices or
Switzerland. says the Bund. the mouth
piece OF the Swiss Government, in plea
for a more generous and reciprocal
treatment by the belligerents.
After the war had begun switzerland
organised an international bureau OF IN
formation for prisoners OF war, with us
seat at Geneva. This bureau forwarded
information to the relatives Of prisoners
Of war and shipped food and delicacies
to the prisoners themselves. i,
As early as October, 1914, switzerland
suggested to the bellieerents the ex-
change of prisoners severely wounoeu.
The Pope became interested In this mat
ter and supported the efforts Of Switzer-
land. In February, 1915. an agreement
was reached regarding the conditions Of
exchange. Switzerland placed the nos
pital trains OF It's own army at the dis
posal Of the belligerents for the trans
portation OF the wounded.
The agreement was first entered into
by France and Germany. Later Austria
and Italy accepted the same terms.
Early in 1916 the swiss Federal Council.
aided by the Pope. succeeded In bring
ing about an agreement permitting the
intcrnment of severely wounded and sick
prisoners OF war, civil as well as mill
tary. within Switzerland. The Swiss
undertook to manage this vast work OF
charity. Tie Swiss Surgeon General o.
the Army was in direct charge OF caring
for the suffering soldiers.
Agreement IL Reached.
Later the Swiss Federal. Council. aided
by the International Rcd Cross at &C.
neva, succeeded In inducing the bellig-
erents to again respect the International
agreement regarding hospital and SAM
tary field workers.
International law demands the imme-
diate discharge Of members Of sanitary
detachments when taken prisoner This
law was disregarded oy be!ligerents, but
Switxeriands entreatles and admonitions
put a stop to the practice and led to the
liberation OF these prisoners. ..,. ..
Finally the agreement to exchange
the permanently disabled was reached
In March OF last year. Efforts Of the
Swiss Federal Council led to the ac-
ceptance Of this agreement by France.
Germany and Belgium. II meant the
repatriation of>alI prisoners Of war per-
manently disabled to an extent which
would preclude their ever Joining the
army again. Also tuberculous prison.
ers. those clinically cured as we'll az
those still needing treatment, were to
DO rapatrlated.
Following this the scope Of the re-
patriation programme was vastly ex-
tended when France. Germany and Bel
GUM agreed to exchange all prisoners
OF war forty eight years OF age and
older who had been informed more than
eighteen months. This applied to pri-
Yates and non-commissioned officers
only. Commissioned officers were to be
informed in Switzerland.
And lastly another agreement was
brought about by the efforts OF the
Swiss Government. 1t still further ex-
tended the scope of the exchange con-
ditions. All civil prisoners were to be
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 Swift
erland every day in both directions. TAX
ing these unfortunate victims back to
tneIr Olu nOIIieS
Up to the middle OF this month more
than 100000 prisoners OF war have
passed through Switzerland on their
way to liberty. Some Of these soldiers
were in a most pitiahle state The peo-
pie of Switzerland played the part OF
the good Samaritan by feeding. cloth
ing and consoling these poor sufferers.
In addition Switzerland has been the
connecting link in mail communication
between ,belligerent countries. Up to
the first of June Switzerland without
charge transported 1876 900 letters and
ca rds to prisoners of war, $4,000 par
cells weighing no more than two pounds,
4l4.67s, 900 letters and cards in transit
19.5c6.000 small parcels In transit,
$685., 900 parcels containing bread sent
to Germany and Austria, 7S,sl6.000 par
GELS weighing up to ten pounds and
s,489.000 money orders trapsmitting al
aggregate amount Of s2J,U00,000.
Since the beginning of 1915 Switzer-
land has been harboring continuously
from 10000 to 10000 interned prisoners
of war needing medical treatment and
hospital care. lately their number has
never been less than 10000. All these
interned prisoners were visited by their
| relatives, adding 10000 people on the
average to the number of consumers, or
about / per cent. of the domestic popu-
lation.