The Cairo bulletin., 1911-11-12

THINK ITALY
IS LOOKING TO .
SWITZERLAND
Swiss Papers And Public Are
Agisated Over The
Latest Runners
AUSTRIA ALSO IS AFRAID
Wine Makers On The Rhine
Gather Grapes In Great
Abundance

Berlin, Nov. IL -" After Tripoli
what next?" is the question which
according to dispatches from Swis
correspondents of the German papers
is agitating the Swiss press and pub
lie. ris
sItaly's seizure OF Tripoli combined
with the well-known aspirations Of
the Italian nationalists to unite tht
1talian-speaking portions of Switz
erland with the r nan kingdom is
causing, say. these dispatches, much
discussion of the possibility that the
little mountain republic may be a
future object of the aggression of its
southern neighbor.
Since the outbreak of the Tripoli-
tan war various Swiss papers have
pointed out significance for Switzer-
land Of this unexpected launching of
hostilities and the Seizure of a
coverted province and have conclud-
cd from 1t the necessity of neglecting
no steps to maintain at the highest
possible efficiency the defences and
fighting power of the country.
800
The part Of Switzerland on which
1t is feared that Italys eye may be
turned is the canton of Ticino, on tho
italian side of the Alps, known to
thousands of tourists who have
travelled over the st. Gothard real
road or visited the Italian Lakes.
Its area is 1888 square miles and it's
population nearly 100000 practical
ly all of them Italian-speaking.
Like the southern part of the Can
ton of Wallis and the Engadine re-
gion of Eastern Switzerland, it is
marked upon the maps and colored
postcards of the Italian Irredentists
tagitators for a united Italian en-
pire1 as one OF the regions ultimately
to be joined to Italy, but what has TO-
eused attention practically on the
Ticino is the vexation manifested in
certain Italian quarters at the strong
Swiss Notifications Of the ST. Goth
ard pass which dominates the Canton
A series OF articles on the import
ance of these fortiications by an
Italian general has recently appear
ed in the Cerriere della Sera of Mi
Ian but Italian criticisms of the
Swiss mistrust have rather increased
than diminished the zeal with which
tho fortificatnons are being pressed
In recent article DR.. j. Schollen-
berger. professor of political science
at the University of Zurich, main
tains that Switzerland can expect
little support from France and none
from Italy, of the neutrality and in
tegrity of Swiss territory. A pos
sible combination in the minds of the
Swiss pessimists Is an Italian occu-
patton OF the Ticino, for which
France would be compensated by the
grant of Geneva, a town thoroughly
French in language and sympathies
Not only Switzerland but also Aus
tro-Hungary, Italy's ally, is thinking
of the possibilities OF Italian agrees
sion Since Gen. Conrad has been at
the head of the Austrian General
STAFF the fortification of the noun
tain valleys of the Tyrol along the
Italian frontier has been carried on
with unceaslng energy until now
every connecting pass and valley be-
tween the two countries Is closed by
powerful Notifications.
Now attention has been turned to
the Stilfser Joch,, a well-known AL
pine pass, situated at the junction Of
the frontiers Of Austria, Italy and
Switzerland, Over this a fine car
riage road leads from Italy into AUS
tria. The pass has hitherto been
considered amply defended by the
fact that the route passes for dis
lance of about eight miles across a
narrow point of neutral Swiss terri
tory but since the construction by
Italy Of fortified camp at the foot
of Monte Umbrail and fort upon
Monte Opa, both near the Italian
end of the pass. and the extension OF
the Italian railroad to Bormio, q
strong agitation has started for de-
fensive measures on the Austrian
side.
Italy's activity on this corner OF
her frontier Is shown by the fact
that mountain climbers are no longer
allowed to ascend Monte or Piz I'm
brazil, one OF the well-known alpine
ascents.
The wine makers on the Rhine and
MoscIle have just gathered thoir
grapes with unusual demonstrations