The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-01-25
sriss wanderers and tho French Police.

Swiss papers are complaining bitterly
of the conduct of the French police to
Swiss soiourners In France of the poorer
sort, not to vagabonds alone, but to re-
spectacle and Industrious working peo-
pie. The police of the Republic, they
saw, are Just as arbitrary, as unreasona-
BILE and as ignorant as the police of the
empire. While Frenchmen are allowed
free entry into Switzerland Tin Geneva
alone there are 20, 900 of them), and may
seek work anywhere without let or him
drance, hardly day passes that Swiss
citizens, whose sole offense is asking for
employment, are not summarily arrested
and, without any sort of trial, sent out
of the country. 1t sometimes happens
even, according to the Democratic de Dets-
berg, which processes to speak with
knowledge, that Swiss citizens OF regular
employment and with some means are
expelled on simple police order; and
those who are thus treated may esteem
themselves fortunate if they have not to
undergo a few weeks Imprisonment
pending the completion Of arrangements
for their transport to the frontier. The
method of their conveyance thither is
rather in accordance with ancient tradi-
ton than with modern practice The
French police, observes the New Zurich
Gazette, seem to be almost as ignorant
of geography as French Generals. Peo-
pie who are arrested at Lyons, for in
stance, instead of being sent to Geneva
a railway journey of four or five hours
are sent, by way of Belfort, to Dele, and
are often several days on the way. When
these unfortunates are handed over to
the Swiss authorities, the French police
never condescend to mention the grounds
of their expulsion or explain why they
were arrested. The journeys they are
sometimes compelled to make call to
mind the stories told of the adventures
of French soldiers during the last war in
search of their depots or their regiments
A few weeks ago n Genevan washer
woman living at Lyons, where she had
been settled several years, although her
papers were in order and there was NO
question as to her respectability or her
capability of earning her livelihood, was
arrested and taken under police escort to
Paris, and, after a short Imprisonment
there, sent to Dele, whence she had to
find her way to Geneva as best she
might. Last winter young girl from
Tessin was arrested at Nice and sent,
with no other protection from the bitter
cold than very light clothing and SIM
pie shawl, by slow stages to Dele,
whittier she arrived half dead. after .
journey of ten days. On October IL two
Switzers from Canton Vaud, one q
waiter, the other q commercial traveller,
both of good character and with papers
in perfect order, the commercial travel
er's passport being countersigned by the
Swiss Minister, were arrested ut Paris
merely because they happened to be
temporarily without employment, and
after being kept eighteen days in prison
were conveyed, as usual, to Dele and
left there. No explanation was asked OF
them, nor were they ever seen by any
man higher in authority than commits
sioner of police. These arbitrary pro
ceedings are little likely to promote the
good feeling which should surely prevail
between the two sister republics; and the
demand of Switzerland that no Swiss cit
izen should be expelled from France
without being heard by magistrate
and his case decided on its merits Is sc
moderate and reasonable that it is hard
to understand why it should be refused.
Geneva Cor. London Times.