El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-26
NEUTRALITY Of
SWITZERLAND IS
HALE HEARTED
The Papers Preach German
Sympathy in the Present
Great Conflict.
REPUBLIC FEARS
SL.AV DOMINATION

| GENEVA. Switzerland. Sept. 26.-
- Partly due to the German pub
- licity campaign. this section OF
/ Switzerland is strongly in sympathy
/ with the Kaiser's cause. This is caused
I largely BY the fact that they speak
and read German, their newspapers are
published in that language, and there
| fore It is easier for the editors 10 take
I extracts from German exchanges than
from French and English publications
I On the whole, IL would be hard to de-
clare that the swiss are neutral in
I thought" to borrow president Wilson's
phrase
German press propaganda is as well
organized as her army. Every day the
press Of all neutral countries IS boun-
tifully supplied with -officiaI, news
with news OF the Wolff bureau, and
with statements BY the German con-
suls-
The extreme prO-Germanism OF q
large section OF German-SWiss papers
peeps out in all kinds OF little ways
which speak really far more loudly
than anything else. For example, they
are constantly forgetting themselves
and abiding to the French, Belgians
and English as the enemy" while one
Gerne paper has just published an ed1-
tOriaI article comparing our navy
with those OF our French and British
enemies"
The absence OF pity in the Swiss
press for the wretched fate OF Belgium
Is positively amazing When the news
OF the burning Of Louvain appeared
the German version was given in Der
Bund in heavy black type, then came
some comment, and then the English
version" CHavas) in ordinary type The
comment was as follows; 1T is dread
1ul that IN the present day warfare
- II
sary. But a population which fires on
troops must make up its mind to the
worst"
Germans Dominate Opinion.
Two curious incidents have occurred
within the last few days OF the extent
to which Germans dominate and seek
10 dominate Swiss opinion First OF
all. one Of the best known Swiss au-
thors. whose works are widely read.
and, I think, mostly published in Ger
many sent TO q German periodical a
piece Of highly belligerent poetry laud-
ing Germany.
He likewise sent 3 donation Of 1000
marks for the German Red Cross
The poem was accompanied by q let
ter in which this representative OF a
neutral states thought fit to remark
that his heart beat high for Germany
4 know. he concluded, that she
will be victorious Hers is just
cause"
The pro-German Swiss writer is pres
ident Of the Association OF Swiss Au-
thOrss and Immediately the episode OF
the Hymn 10 Germany was made publ
several members OF the body sent in
their resignation as members
The second incident is that OF the
publication in the Tag CBerlin) OF pro-
fessor Kurt Breysig's appeal TO Ger
man Swiss. This appeal has just been
sent out TO all professors and the
teaching staffs in general at Swiss uni
versities. as well as TO all, more or less
Amw~T
fessor begins by endeaYOring to ex-
plain the German point OF view:
German Existence at Stake.
in the colossal struggle now entered
upon" he says, ''the existence OF Ger
manism is at stake. and also that OF
German Switzerland. whose independ-
ence and existence are based upon the
existence and strength OF the German
empire"
The conclusion Of this document is as
follows:
let US know that you realize what
is involved by the contest now entered
into; that your affections do not be-
long to our enemies, and that your
hearts are beating in unison with our
own
The Neue Zurcher Zietung "a paper
forbidden TO enter Germany appeals TO
TO all Swiss who have received this
appeal not to sign il, observing that
should their names appear in the for
eign press, this would be tantamount
10 demonstration which would very
III accord with that Swiss neutrality
which has been so solemnly proclaimed.
Where should we be- IT concludes,
II Germany's example were TO be i'm
1tated by France. and an appeal for
sympathy with France were to follow
that OF Germany, so that We would pre-
sent to foreign countries the appear
ance Of a country torn asunder BY con-
fhcttng sympathies2 and this at time
when our very existence depends on
our unitednessr'
The words are IN entire harmony
with the appeal issued BY the Swiss
president at the outset OF the war.
Fear the SlavH-
may say that the reason why Ger
man Switzerland is anxious about the
issue Of the present conflict IS proba-
bly, largely fear OF Slav domination
doubt the German Swiss desiring in
their heart OF hearts to see Germany
altogether triumphant. and France
crushed. for they realize that in such
case II might be very difficult for
Switzerland to maintain her neutrality.
Even supposing that the German STAFF
did not feel quite strong enough to re-
sist request from Germany to walk
through Switzerland and do il no harm
nevertheless the feeling against Weld
ing one single inch OF Swiss territory
10 German or any other foreign SOL
1iers, Is, am convinced. so strong. so
innate, so deeply rooted in the mass OF
ne swiss people that no general staff
would dare 70 90 against it.