The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-13
SWITZERLAND. coop sAMARrray

|
 From the Florida Metropolis.
 l Switzerland, surrounded on all sides bv warning nations, obliged herself to arm against possible violations of her terri lory forced into an economic neutrality | In which she is scarcely able to suit l anybody while suffering a great deal of harm herself, finds only one role that p'eases everyone-that of the Good Samaritan of Europe" relieving the suf- lerlngs her neighbors are causing to each others subjects. The burden of main- talnlng communication between several million prisoners of war and their kindred Tell upon the Red Cross committee of Geneva. Switzerland also rushed to the frontiers loaded with refreshments and comforts for refugees and mutilated sol dlers, returning home through her neu- tral territory. What this has cost swift zerland Tn money cannot be reckoned. What it has lost commercially and finan- cially in other directions it is difficult
 to estimate beyond the millions that her | mobilization has cost her.
 The Swiss people are particularly sensi-
 tive over the suspicious they have been exposed to by reason of their geograph- icai position The varied character of the population and the resulting division Of sypathies in the conflict There has undoubtedly been some contraband but no more than there would have been in any other country where private gain is tempted by high paid risks. A great deal of contraband has been prevented. By reason of commercial treaties Switzerland was unable to prevent the transportation across her territory of enormous ouanti- ties of merchandise that Italy sent to Germany in exchange for coal before she declared war on Austria. The inspection Of that merchandise to detect contraband of war was formidable task
 Regarding suspicion in France that im- ports to Switzerland went to supply the Germans the Swiss people point out that these inn portations for the first quarter of 1915 were 6o,0o0,000 francs less than for the first quarter of 1914. At the same time they complain of the stoppage by France of goods from across the Atlantic that were indispensable for the provisioning | of the population and for the operation l of their industries These complaints were naturally more bitter from the Ger man part of Switzerland
 From the beginning of the war Switzer-
 land has been obliged to appeal con-
 stantly to the good will. of both groups of powers at war while being at the | same time tugged at from many different directions by as many conflicting in- terests. All this is what made possible, even necessary, the idea of an importing l trust which bears the name of the Swiss | Society of Economic Supervision. This, | it is hoped, will remove the friction; it will not, of course, indemnify Switzerland for her direct outlay of 10O,000,000 in mobilization expenses, her charitable l work nor her indirect losses in business stagnation Her mobilization costs her an average of $S,000,00O a month; if the
 war lasts two years the total will be nearly $200, 100000.
 l What Switzerland has lost in receipt | from tourists was shown by the decrease of $6,00O,000 in the receipts of federal
 railroads from August to December. 1914. 1 In July, 1914, the number of tourists registered at Zurich was 33,sS6; this year I in the same month there were only ,S85
 visitors. At Lausanne there were S67C guests registered in July, 1914; this year
 there was only 2O9O.
 l Professor Seipel is quoted as saying ''If the anguish of the sombre European tragedy didn't weigh so heavily on our
 hearts and consicences, life would never
 have been so agreeable in Switzerland as
 at present. We are like a little family
 that has bid adieu to its boarders and | found it charming intimacy again" The hotel keepers are unable to look upon the situation with the same philosophy All of them are in financial distress
 some of them in desperate straits exposed
 to the ruinous competition of new houses
 or of old houses that may be bought al
 ruinous terms after peace that may be | declared. Their situation prompted the suggestion of hotel monopoly in order to improve the security to banks who | are asked to renew advances.
 | All business in 1uxuries has been tried 1 particularly.
 | In July, 1915, only 25,043 gold watch
 cases were stamped, as compared to 67,0O( | in July, 1914.