THE PRISONERS OF WAR OFFICE IN SWITZERLAND (To THE EDITOR
OF THE " SPECTATOR.") Sia,—Perhaps you will accord me the hospitality of your widely read review for an appeal in favour of the Prisoners of War Office of the International Red Cross in Geneva. This most vale' able branch of the Red Cross—a new creation since the war—is in urgent need of funds, and has made recently appeals for help in the leading Swiss journals. But the Swiss are so hard hit by the war, and have already done so very much in humanitarian 'torte every kind in favour of the belligerents, that, on reading this appeal, nay idea immediately was that it ought to be transmitted to England. The English have been enormously helped by the Prisoners of War Office. Personally, I have sent the office mall inquiries from parents in England in search of missing sone. and even where no news or bad news has been forthcoming, the complicated machinery of the institution having been set i° motion, the outlay and Care expended in the attempt to get no" have been the same. All news is givels gratis, all letters. nr'n'y
orders, &e., are forwarded to prisoners free of charge—not even a stamp needing to be affixed to a letter—so the very poorest have exactly the same chance of attention for their sons as the very richest. I have myself visited every department of this great institution, so know well with what order and thoroughness the work is carried on. The fine Rath Museum has been lent for it by the city of Geneva, and its every hall is a veritable hive of devoted workers, many of them voluntary.
A friend of mine, a Genevese lady—a daily voluntary worker since the beginning of the war—has sent me, on request, the following particulars of the work done so far (I translate the figures given in francs roughly into English pounds for the con- venience of your readers) :- " We have indeed an urgent need of money, and the Nobel Prize [your readers will know that the Nobel Peace Prize for this year has been awarded to this branch of the Geneva Red Cross], . though fine and welcome, is only a drop in the ocean. We have furnished about one million one hundred thousand particulars of missing men or prisoners, and have transmitted to prisoners of war and interned civilians of all kinds £302,000 sent by their families. The general expenses have amounted to £51,254; we have received £54,494, of which a part was furnished by the National Red Cross Societies of the different countries concerned. Very little remains therefore (enough only for two months) when one considers that the monthly expenses are .8.2,000. The work of the Agency has been greatly increased by the number of countries which have been added to the belligerents."
This brief survey will give your readers some idea of the scope of this magnificent work. It has been, and will continue to be, a great consolation to those who have dear ones reported " missing " to know that this institution exists, and will leave no stone unturned to get news of them. It behoves them, therefore—and, still more, those who have been mercifully spared such grief—to do whatever lies in their power, however little, to help to carry on this great work. Cheques, money orders, or postal orders should be addressed : Agcnce des Prisonniers de Guerre, Croix Rouge Internationale, Geneva, Switzerland.—I am, Sir, &c.,
E. M. WATSON.
Villa Violetta, Territer, Switzerland, December 26th, 1917.
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