The sun., 1916-09-03
SWISS HAVING HARD
TIME BEING NEUTRAL
Depend on Both Allies and
Germany for Food and
Coal.
SURROUNDED BY WAR
Toutons Threaten to Cut or
Fuel Unless They Get
Needed Supplies.
SURROUNDED BY WAR

Sssctei osrpssSonasacs 70 THs su,.
LONDON, Aug. ALI neutral countries
have learned what Il 10 to Be neutral.
but Switssriand's Ia a notably hard case.
No State has felt tho unforeseen aim.
culties which have confronted every GEN.
trail country moro than Switzerland.
An Island In a stormy sea. entirely
hinged around with belligerents and It.
self divided into German speaking and
French speaking peoples, existing largely
upon manufactures for which the raw
materials and fuel must come from the
Allies or from the Central Empires de-
pendent even for much OF It's food upon
what II imports a neutral bulwark COW
ering a frontier OF France, Italy, Ger
many and Austria a possible a
through to An interruptions Through
Breaker" Switzerland has been bcset
with many anxietics.
The more terrible OF these ha vs indeed
waned. switserland has no longer to
fear h fate Of Belgium. MOI Is she
likely to be forced TO abandon neutrality.
Yet many problems of war remain acute
to her. n not the least Of these In her
commercial situation.
Swiss and manufacture de-
pend upon both bellicerent parties. Be-
fore the war the bulk of her trade was
with Germany. but this trade must not
be estimated in tonnage alone. for the
value Of her trade with the Allies was
about equal to that OF her German
trade. From Germany she imported
metals, chemical manures, seeds. salts OF
potash. dyes. ennet for cheese MAX
ing. wood. sugar. from or through the
allied countries she 60, cocoa beans.
cotton. rubber. silk and raw materials Of
all sorts. But the essential point Ia hat
from Germany anne all the coal used IN
Switzerland. and from the allied u
tries came the grain and cereals which
were required to supply the deficiency
Of homo grown food.
"Black and White Bread"
So important a-c these two e~ur',lies
10 switzerland that they have been called
tho Black Bread and the White
Bread" OF switzerland. wen war pegai
switzerland had he strongest interest in
keeping OF good Terms with both sides.
Her aim was that things should go OH as
they had done-and. like all neutral
countries. she expected to share in the
Industrial activity and pro1ts caused by
war demands and prices. II soon be-
cane clear. however. that things would
no, go on as they had done.
Germany. being short % supplies OF
raw material sucn as cotton anu runner,
and Of fats. 81, her agents 10 work ~
Swiss territory 10 buy all they could
whether Wholesale or retail. Foodstuffs.
TOO, were bought w Creedily. and IN a
shog; space Swi.zerlard found It's indus
tries and IL people threatened with
want. tho former for lack OF raw ma
terisl. the latter from scarcity OF food
The natural step was 20 legislatc asains.
these German fores,sl'ers and specula-
'ors. but they we're dii'icul, to trace AID
the Legislation hard 20 enforce.
The next step came with the deter
mination Of the Allies not 20 let raw
materials which they could control 60 &c
Germany. Beginning with ordinary
conirabsnd. such a. munitions aud rub
Der. the list has grown 10 include cotton
fats. ores. metals. chemicals, foodstuffs
ard So or. II these went 10 Switzer-
land unchc, ked Germany would as
suredly buy them and 40 denude Switz.
erland. switzerland would want more
and Germany st-!p her again. Thus I,
check this goods were only allowed t.
~ 70 switzerland under pledge OF the
Socie,c de Surveillance. made up o'
manufacturers. thai they we're for bona
hde swiss consumption. and thai
neither IN Jaw nor manufactured stat'
would they he rccxported 70 the Contra
Empires.