Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-12
PLIGHT Of REFUGEES
IN SWITZERLAND
Many Men and Woen Of Culture
and Learning Found in Seri-
Gus Want.

Conditions Of refugees In some OF tho
European countries as n result OF tho
dkturhancoe therc and tho postwar
economic conditions arc said to be pitt
ful in the extreme. according to the
ccutenta Of thc following letter writ
ten to the $ditor OF tho New York
Tribune and which is self explanatory
and worthy OF rSprinting:
Sir: In "fhaxptr's Magazine" for
February there Is an article by Ken
moth l. Roberts setting forth the sor-
rows Of the human drift from Russia
that has been washed up at Coneta nti-
nopls-psrsons OF birth. culture and
special mental attainments, all alike
despised by tho Bolsheviki. and nung
into pennileae exile-those who have
escaped with their lives. They are
starving. now, when they cannot find
even the most menial labor and many
have already died. Their case Is pitia-
bic. but It Is not without parallel.
have been spending the winter here
on the shore OF Lake Geneva, and along
that shore, between Genoa and Mon
trsux. are no less than three thousand
OF these perishinE eXiles. They came
here because Switzerland has so long
been the land OF freedom. a haven for
tho oppressed. Switzerland and the
Swiss have done their best for these
unfortunates. Tho Swiss Federation
voted sixty thousand francs for their
relief, and individually the Swiss peo-
pie have provided money. food and
ahslter TO the limit of their abilities.
Where possible. work has been found
for them.
hut Switzerland Is small, and of linz
tied wealth. The period T inactivity
which followed the war has been es-
peciAlly hard on Switzerland. The no
IelA are comparatively empty; many
factories are idle. In this little town
OF Vcvey alone there are today more
than one thousand unemployed men
and women, supported by the state.
You will zee, then. how difficult 1t has
been to take care of these destitute
wanderers.
In former years II would have been
fairly easy TO collect funds IN such a
Cause from visiting strangers. but to-
day Switzerla nd's paying guests are
few. Such as are here have generously
helped. and Will continue to help. but
they must have cooperation from
those at home II the work Is TO be ef-
fective. Madamoiselle Laure Couvereu
n woman OF great benevolence. sister Of
the mayor OF Nevey. and Madame de
Bacheracht, n Pole, wife OF the late
Rusaian Minister to Switzerland, have
relieve these sufferers. and to collec,
funda. Tho late Pope contributed 40
900 lirn TO their fund, and others have
been libsral. But the end OF their re-
sources IL at hand.
What ! ask is this: II what have
written has stirred any feeling OF hui
man sympathy in any reader. that he
II it sseuas best, a ffve-dollar bill. OF
n cue-dollar bill. or a personal check
for Any amount that satisfies the
se endsr. and mail Il 10
NadernnAesre lAure Couvreu,
Rue de Clos.
Vevey. Switzerland.
American money and checks are
gladly accepted. over here; no neeC
TO buy foreign exchange: Every penny
every penny Will be Of inestimahl,
value. IL committees can be formet
and money thus collected and remitted
that Will be we'll enough later on. Blu
don't wait for that: the need Is now.
Clothing OF any sort Will be gladl,
received. II may be sent by parce
post very oheaply. and the words "ol
transit sur lentrepot federal shoul,
he added 10 tho address, in order tina
they may enter duty free.
Albert Bigelow Paine.
Nsvey. Switzerland, March 4, 1922.