Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21

character OF the Swiss constitution.
This democratic character Is expressed
in two ways. First. the federal or
ganization of Switzerland is re
ality. and the twenty-five sovereign
and independent cantons absorb locally
most of the functions Of government and
leave very little for the central federal
government. Secondly, on most of those
government. the bundesrath has no final
power The ultimate authority is either
the national assembly" which is Swift
Zerland's congress. or the referendum in
the shape of submission of disputed
questions to direct popular vote
OF what little is left for the federal
government to do only fraction Is done
by the bundesrath and president In de-
and of the national assembly the consti-
tuition follows the democratic precedent
and declares that all powers appertain
70 the assembly unless they are spe-
cifically intrusted to the bundesrat.
The national assembly consists of two
chambers. One is the national council"
which corresponds to some extent TO the
American House of Representatives.. 1t
contains one member for every 1000 of
the Swiss population. The members are
elected by the direct vote of all persons
over twenty, and they hold their man
dates for three years. The other cham
Der. corresponding to the American Sen
ate, is the estates council" 1t con-
in all forty-four. This two-chambered
national assembly elects the bundesrat
and president. the federal chancellor. the
judges and the generals of the federal
army. Its powers completely overshadow
those of the bundesrath. II controls for
eign and international treaties legis-
lates, regulates national defense. declares
war and concludes peace, decides dis
putes as TO the competence OF the federal
authorities and even exercises the sole
rfaI,t of 2yrnp CT rGn
According to this, the national assem-
bly, seems the real authority in the con-
federation. But as fact the democratic
idea Is again applied here. and the as
sembly in turn is directly controlled by
the individual citizen. If 10000 Swiss cit
liens, or eight cantons, demand that a
legislative project or even a decision of
importance be submitted to the vote of
the people, the assembly is compelled to
comply and the result of the referendum
is finally binding.
It is the two chambers of the assem-
bly,. sitting together which elect for three
years the seven members OF the bun
desrath, and elect for one year one OF
them as president. No president may take
second consecutive term. but there Is
nothing nto prevent a president being re-
elected after an interval One Swiss cit
izen. NJ Deucher. has been twenty -foul
years a member of the bundesrath and
four times president of the confedera-
ton. The bundesrath-and therefore. alst
the president-has no patronage. This re-
suits from the system of electng 10
public offices. Further the ornamental.
and sometimes valuable functions of
presidency are in Switzerland unknown.
There are no decorations. Even in
the army no orders are granted Federal
officials are forbidden to accept orders.
decorations and pensions from foreign
governments: and IL they already hold
such they must relinquish them upon
election. There are no civil or diplo-