El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-05

southeastern SwitzerIan9. Austria
could pour an army through the Enga-
dine ard suddenly emerge on the plains
Of Milan. dealing a blow 10 the. heart
OF Italy. BY invading a few miles Of
northwestern Switzerland the kaiser
might hope to approach the French
fortified district Of Belfort from the
south.
The same advantages would accrue
to Italy OF TO France by using the ter
ritory OF this mountain people TO flank
Germany and Austriass forces and thus
avoid the costly and slow frontal at
tack"
Would it be worth the cost to the
belligerents2 That is what SwitZer-
land is wondering Switzerland would
fight as bravely as Belgium did-and
she is prepared However, the few
hundred thousand troops hardy and
good marksmen though they be. would
probably not suffice to check the great
masses now engaged in the world war,
especially as no attempt would be
made to invade the heart Of Switzer-
land. but only to use handy corner
as a roadway
The entry OF Switzerland into the
war on either side would be a great
shock to the sympathies Of a large
share OF the Swiss pOpulace- Here in
the north the Swiss speak German and
are Teutonic in their sympathies. 9th
er PARTS Of Switzerland are French
speaking and still others Italian The
United states alone presents a parallel
10 the unanimity with which these
people Of diverse race stocks have so
far stuck together
German Invasion Feared.
On the whole even here a German
invasion is considered more likely than
a violation Of swiss neutrality by
either France or Italy. There is first
the precedent OF Luxembourg and Bel
GUM. Then it is well known that
Germany has in the archives Of her
wonderful great general staff at Ber-
lin complete detailed plans for enter
ing Switzerland should this be ad-
judged expedient
made in 1875 at the time OF a Franco
German war scare. The late prince
Frederick Charles OF Prussia, the con-
querOr OF Bazaine and Metz, worked
since then the plans have been ampIi-
fled.
would Cross Mt Basic.
The scheme contemplates the cross
ing Of the Swiss border at Basic and
also between the river Aar and lake
Constance By way OF the Glatt Eur
ich. Often. the western Swiss railroad
system and the Jura pass an advance
would be made upon Dion. Belfort
and Besancon would be turned The
French know this, Of course, and it is
understood here that if Germany
should attempt anything Of the sort
J Offre's soldiers would Immediately
blow up the Jura railroad.
To gain Italy the Austro- Germans
might cross the upper Engadine and
might attempt to seize the St Gothard
tunnel.
Plan Already Outlined.
Switzerland being a mountainous
country. the action OF francstireours
would be particularly dangerous to the
progress Of our troops and conveys"
The methods used in Belgium are
evidently TO be repeated, for the plan
dWells on the necessity to punish
with the fullest rigOr any breach OF
would have TO be kept quiet by means
OF wholesale executions The Swiss I
being excellent marksmen, the greatest !
care should be taken to disarm the !
population Every inhabitant found {
in the possession OF a rifle must be !
shot; irrespective Of age or. sex, and |
his house RACED to the ground. The
hostages Of the particular town or /
village where he resides must be dealt I
with in the same way"
Germany is feared too. because Of 4
the well known Teutonic policy of /
always striking first IL is improbable l
that Germany will allow Italy to pound 4
1t the barriers Of Austria without at
tempting a lightning offensive such .
as carried Won kluck 70 the gates OF I
Paris IN August and such as has so 4
0ften resulted in the crushing defeat /
II Russian masses. The violation of \
swiss neutrality would open a door
Belgium at the beginning OF the war.
Swiss Neutrality UnfriendIy.
For pretexts to war upon Switzer-
to go On the whole Switzerland has