New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-25
Most Elaborate Measure
Taken for the Defence
of Frontier.
BORDER TOWNS FULL
OF MEN UNDER ARMS
Trade Dead and Population
Suffers Many DisComfOrtS
of War.

peflc Swiss Frontier, Jan. 10. No
corn,rv iu Europe except belhgercnts
rs suffered so much from the war as
Sutherland No country ls so jealous
of is independence and more resolved
20 maintain u. In consequence, as
massage through Switzerland Undoubt-
esIv offers great temptations both 10
France and Germany, the federal gov
.yrr,eot from the moment OF the dec
i,rst;on Of war adopted most clab-
o-,t. measures Tor the defence o. the
frontier ....-,
~ France FOR weeks past, but never
,sU A. any one point so many soldiers
81 have lust seen IN Switzerland. At
"a beginning OF the war 100000 men
r-s-o modified. All the frontier towns
81, fan 90 overlooking with horse, FOOT
srd artillery. Every hotel has oihclsl
rot,ces posted up that 30 is the head
ossrters either Of q regiment brigade
~ division. Tn every station arc guards
v-i-h Fixed bayoucts, while cavalry is
rating. infantry is marching, artillery
is rolling through the streets. Frontier
railways arc being run by uniformed
,oId;ers. and IN many instances are
entirely reserved for military trans
Tens a thousands Of men with picks
sr6 shades are working night and day
q. miles o. trenches and guns are
everywhere being placed IN position.
The cost o. this is enormous, running
10 hundreds OF millions Of dollars. But
3. the same time the pride and mill
tsrv enthusiasm OF the population At
.he admirable fashion in which the
country has responded 20 the call are
Unbo1rdcd Switzerland is as patrl-
o,calv determined 90 defend her lnde-
incidence as in the days Of the mythical
william Tell Thousands Of soldiers arc
b.vouackinc 20 snow I'm mountain passes
building rcdoubts, placing guns in nat
terv. working oheerfully and never
utterinc word Of complaint.
Do an che shops one secs rings,
scarf Dirs and brooches bearing these
words. "Gtcrze BesetzUnE, 1914 or,
"Occlrauou dos frontiers. 1914 &C
cord.r- 90 tho language OF the .nhsb-
rart-. These were made 90 cOmmcm-
ora.e the greatest military caor, ever
rgt forth br Switzerland. All along
Che Swiss border for more than 100
miles hundreds OF red flags have been
placed al intervals Of 200 yards Jcal-
ouslv 90 mark the frontier line and 20
rrevorf any possible error on the par
Of either bcllgcrcut. Even the sky is
being protected. IS was seen IN re-
cent protest by Switzerland that Brit
ish military acroplancs have flown over
Swiss territory 90 attack the Zeppelin
works AZ Fricdrichshafcn.
But military burdens arc not all
that the war entails. The commercial
and economic life OF Switzerland has
suffered enormously. Regulations
against control and Of war ham
per trade wI.n France and Germany.
while the winter sports season has
been practically ruined. One Of the
best proofs of the extent 20 which the
economic life Of the country has SUI
fercd 5 proved by a report just issued
by the Association or Swiss News
paper Projectors. In reply 20 the
question as 20 how advertisement
revenue is affected by the war, ten
replied "No change but these were
chiefly papers run by professional or
CARNATIONS. or papers which farmed
advertisement papers TO publicity
agencies; seven reported a falling oil
o. from 20 10 per cent, twelve 10 20
10 per cent ten 20 10 80 per cent.
thirty-two so 20 30. ffty-four 40 20 80.
siAty-eight 50 % so. forty-four go 20
70, thirty-seven 20 10 so, eleven so TO
go. and two 90 20 100 per cent. Two
papers gave their losses in figures, not
by percentages, showing q falling of
in receipts Of 1000 and 1000 francs
weekly. Fifteen reduced the size OF
the paper or ceased TO appear. Among
the latter is the we'll known Liberia!
journal, the "Noix du Peuple,' of Lau-
same.
Swiss merchants have millions Of
dollars Of outstanding debts in Ger
many which they arc unable 10 re
cover. Some relief in this respect has
Just been given by Swiss law courts.
which have decided that as the Swiss
canrot sue in German courts, neither
can German creditors enforce claims
on Swiss.
As regards the sympathies OF the
Swiss in the present war, 10 is difficult
90 form a judgment. I'm French Swift
zcrland the population undoubtedly
.vmpathizes with France. Most Of the
French and Swiss newspapers for that
reason are prohibited in Germany. The
French frontier population asserts
that the German speaking Swiss DO
everything 10 hamper the French trade
with Switzerland. There is no doubt
that AZ the beginning Of the war the
sympathy Of the German Swiss was
with Germany, but after the violation
Of Belgian territory this cooled con-
siderably At the same time. Ger
tain mistrust Of Switzerland still
exists I'm France. The Swiss see evil
dcnce % this in tho fact that colonel
Hardy the Swiss military attachc with
the French army, returned home, ana
viii. 10 is said. not again 60 20 me
French headquarters. Colonel Dc wat
fcuwvl the Swiss attachc with the
Germans ON the western frontier. has
also returned. but will shortly leave
FOR The Russian frontier But there
is no doubt that the continuance OF
Swiss neutrality is Of immense value
20 an the belligerents. Thanks 10 the
admirable organization Of the Swiss
authorities. relatives Of prisoners on
both sides can communicate with them
and send money and other comforts
and can receive news from them.
Switzerland has just successfully
concluded negotiations for the ex-
change Of wounded prisoners. What
the Swiss Red Cross organization has
done % mitigate the horrors OF war
is known 20 everybody.
It is certain that the Swiss popula-
ton is suffering many OF the discom-
forts and losses which war entails.
without having any share Of the glory
or excitement which war brings 10
belligeren1/ The Swiss support this
with Adaptable patience At the same
time, 4 is certain that II any oppor-
tulify offers itself for mediation. 20
put an end 20 the war, the Swiss gov
eminent will not fail TO seize IL. A.
The same time. President Motta de-
elsres that any premature intervention
OF this kind would be worse than use