Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
EXERCISES UNDER AUSPICES OF THE
GRUTLI yEREIN.
Address by DR.. CtarIss Lardy, secre-
tary of the LegatiOn-Con-
cert npd Dance.

A concert and dance commemorative of
Swiss independence was given last evening
in the hall at No 20 9Th street northwest
by the Grutli-Verein. The attendance was
good and much enthusiasm was manifested.
In addition to the exercises mentioned,
which were under the direction of Dr. Hol-
ler an address was delivered by Dr. Charles
LardS. secretary of the Swiss legation.
The republic of Switzerland ecame a
federal state in 1S4S. Previously, for more
than 800 years, it consisted of league of
semi-independent states or cantons. The
present constitution based on laws passed
in 1S4S and revised in 1874 was constructed
with the view of satisfying both cantonal
and national elements, and, is, therefore,
essentially a work of compromise. 1t is
the first constitution which was entirely
the work of the SWISS without foreign in
fiuence, although its authors studied that
of the United States.
The political structure of Switzerland is
built up in three tiers-the commune, the
canton and the federal assembly. In the
cCmmuneS all local matters are admins
tered by two governing bodies-the COM
munal assembly, which is purely legisla
tive, composed of all male citizens who
have attained the age of twenty, and the
communal council, the executive of the
former body, by whom it is elected Each
canton has its own constitution and local
governmen Mt. The constitutions of the sew
efdl cantOQS vary cDISlutFdDly, Dul dll dEe
based on the absolute sovereignty of the
people subject to certain restrictions, chief
iy regarding military and legal matters i'm
posed by the federal constitutions they are
subject also to the ratification of the con-
federation.
The supreme legislative authority of the
confederation is vested in parliament
of two chambers, the council of the states
and the national council, which represent
the supreme government of the country,
urder reserve of the referendum. or vote
of the people. The council of the states
consists of forty-four members, each can
ton having two representatives. and each
half canton one The regulations as to
their election and duration Of term of Of
flee differ in each canton.
National Council.
The national council consists of 147 mem
bers, elected in each canton, in the proper
ton of one deputy for every 10000 OF the
pcpula ton. The electoral districts cannot
be made up of parts of different cantons
and are fixed by the federal assembly af-
ter every census, and the election takes
place once every three years. Every male
who has attained the age of twenty, and
possesses the rights of citizenship according
to the constitution Of his canton, is entl-
tied to vote, and any voter other than
clergyman or an official appointed by the
federal council Is eligible for election as
a representative. The sum of It's. day
is paid during the session to the members
of the council of the states and the ma
t,cnal council These two chambers elect
a president and vice president each. and
meet at Berne at least twice year, IN
June and December, together forming the
federal assembly. .-;
This body controls The general administra-
ton of the confederation. 1t alone can de-
clare war, make peace or conclude trea-
ties with foreign powers. The executive
authority of the federal assembly Is de-
puted TO the federal council, composed Of
cd q neriO6 of three
years and each receiving a salary of about
81 400 per annum, except the president VINO
receives about s2,1gQ. The president of the
federal council, WING is also the president
of the confederation. is chosen annually at
a United meeting OF the council OF the
states ami the national Council, from among
the members of the federal council. The
president and the vice president, chosen at
the same. time, are elected for one, year and
cannot be reelected within twelve months
OF the expiration of tfefr term Of office.
The referendum and initiative are two
political institutions peculiar to Switzerland,
the greatest developments of democracy yet
attained. In 1881 article was introduced
into the CONSTITUTION of St. Gail declaring
the Sovereignty of rhe people, who have
the right not only TO pass their own laws,
hut also to veto them This paved the
way for the. referendum, which has now
spread throughout the whole confederation,
and by means of which all legislative acts
passed in the federal or national assem-
masae.
Compulsory and Optional.
1t is of two kinds. compulsory and op-
tional, both as regards federal and can
tonal matters. In those cantons where all
laws adopted by the representative body OF
the canton must be submitted to the peo-
pie ii is compulsory; in those cantons where
it may be demanded by a certain number OF
votes it is optional.
referendum
federal legislation was established In 1915
but was then limited to revision of the con-
Stitution. That of 1874 contains an article
extending the exercise of the popular vote
when demanded by 10000 citizens or eight
cantons, to all laws and resolutions OF
general nature passed by the federal as
sembly, this being the optional form of the
federal referendum. Since the referendum
was fully developed in 1874 it has been put
in operation on an average once year;
the decisions have generally shown con-
sentative rather than radical tendency on
the part of the people.
Initiative is the exercise of the right
granted to voters to Initiate proposals Tor
the enactment of new laws, or for the alter
alton or abolition Of old ones. By this
means the sovereign people have always
the power to bring forward the discussion
of egisativ matters even i'll the event of
their representatives in the government be-
ing unwilling to do So Fifty thousand sig
natures are required to obtain the initiative
regarding federal Legislation, and in the
ma JoritS OF cdntonS o,0OO Tor cdntolal mat
terS.
All Liable to Military Service.
The federal constitution forbids the main
tenance of a standing army; still it de-
clares that every Swiss is liable to military.
service. The army is. therefore, essentially
"a citizen force drawn from all classes of
the people, being intended only for defen-
sire purposes and to secure the neutrality
of the country. 1t is divided into three
classes-the elite, or active army, in which
all citizens are liable to serve from the age
of twenty to thirty-twO; the landwehr,
from thlrty-tWo TO fOrty-four. and the
landsturm, consisting of men from seven
teen to fifty. not Incorporated in the two
former classes. Every Swiss keeps his rifle
and kit, and in the case of a cavalry soldier
his horse, at his own home. Cavalry re-
cruits provide theraeMnJ horses, which they
may use for agriculturaE or other purposes
during the year. Osle-tenth of the price is
annually refunded by the government The
total strength of the ARMY not including
the landsturm, Isl 5Eltte, 123 ,620 land
wehr, So rs; total .a.s a3as With the execp-
ton Of the heads ofttheI ordnance depart
ments, the general sstaft and the corps of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. no It'll number-are the
only officers permanently paid and en-