Evening star., 1915-12-26
THE NEUTRALITY OF SWITZERLAND

gested to the federal government tina:
II would permit the transit OF grain
from America, etc.
was proposed to establish what was
somewhat inaptly called a trust"
which, in accord with the French and
British governments. group of Meth
an agency in Holland. and which on
the whole was satisfactory. Switxer
land desired to be furnished with hrst
matter necessary to her industry and
replied that they were entirely willing
to operate the desired provisioning, but
they must be assured that IL would be
consumed on Helvetian territory. ALI
feed in any way their enemies. impos-
siblew
The entry Of Italy among the bel
ligerents modified the conditions OF the
Helvetian provisionment. But France
refused all traf1c unless guarantee
was given that nothing should be re-
exported to the central empires. Switz-
erland asked in vain that she should be
granted the faculty OF re-exportation
on the ground Of compensation. tn.
reply Of the allies was prompt and
precise:
I'VE will send you all you need: but
we refuse that our soil. our agriculture.
our industry, our railways, shall serve
in any way to provision our enemies
This fiat closed negotiations during
three months. The Tagwacht OF Bern
(socialist journaD. dated August ?.
opened the question quite Unexpectedly
by publishing an arrangement made
with Germany as to re-exportation.
A group OF Swiss citizens interested
commercially in the development Of
created the Auxiliary Commercial and
Industrial Society,"" and this finally led
to an agreement with France. Great
Britain and Italy on the one part and
Switserland on the other. Septem-
Society Of Economical Surveillance.
which is familiarly abbreviated IS. s. g.
And thus the questions of control. COM
pensations, exchange and re-exporta
tton were solved.
The utility Of this arrangement was
indicated by the demands for mer-
chandise which flowed
Wars Effect in from all sides. show
ing the necessities OF
J Vn imports. commerce. Since the
commencement of the war the customs
receipts had fallen or considerably
From the 1st OF January. 1915. to the
31st OF July. they had decreased in
credibly-so seriously. indeed. that
from an alimentary point Of view there
was a real danger. The public under
the circumstances was REQUESTED 10
moderate its consumption Of meat. and
this had already been adopted for the
military.
Many articles are rare in Switser-
land ra actosly I;n so he U
hotel industry has suffered greatly.
Tourists from all parts of Europe have
abstained from travel in winter and
summer - At zurich IL for I,n example; ,aIa the
1885, against 1885 In July. 1914; at
Lugano. Notwithstanding the exodus
from Italy Of diplomats and rich Aus
Germans. .o strangers in July. 1915.
1914, etc. Not all in Switzerland re-
gret the general dearth of strangers.
Prof. Seippel writes: IF the agony OF
the somber European tragedy did not
our consciences never would it be SO
good to live in Switzerland as at this
hour. We are a little like a bourgeois
family. which has sent away its pen
privacy. Perhaps there may be a dish
less on the menu, but then how one
consumes in peace his modest ordi-
nary!
in economical neutrality nor in the
hotels. 'hotelliers" and "hotellieres" of
Switzerland, who. parenthetically, like
the Swiss soldier. have set the pace
have become the models for the world.
especially the world in which the hotel
elegant is q shameless misnomer.
The hotel situation in Switzerland is
particularly delicate. Hotelism Ii Il
national industry and ranks with rail-
roads and teIegraphs. Why there is
i! do not know. But there will be
doubtless-after the war. OF late years
new hotels-grand hotels-have been
constructed to receive the ever-in-
creasing tide OF travellers; these have
not had time to accumulate reserves or
pay OF debts. The war was a surprise
to the happy. good-hearted Swiss.
whose thoughts of the future centered
about rich American and British
s1Tssts; s11@ sond,.S rich touring parties person
ton of tourism and Of hotel charges.
There was no crisis in sight two years
ago, but alas! There is a crisis now.
to say nothing of more to come.
So much to explain why the federal
authorities are actually considering
how they may save the
To Protect hotel industry without loss
u.4.,. to their creditors The
' authorities o m p hend
that the failure of hotel in Switzer-
land would be a blow at the state, not
only deplorable liquidation. which would
resemble a cardboard house collapse O.
all. ruin indeed of the industry-ruin
to Switzerland. Among the many life
saving plans suggested has been an
appeal to banks to obtain through
them necessary credits and perhaps
sort Of monopoly-interdictin further
constructions for a period of ten years.
This plan has its opponents. notable in
the architect and the building CENTER.
Furthermore it has been suggested ~
create financial establishment, with
authority and means with the aid OF
the councillor of the confederation, to
search for remedies to meet the hotel
crisis"
The railway situation in Switzerland
is delicate. For example. there was Il
decrease in receipts from August to