Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-18
SWISS ACT TO
CONTROL AGENTS
Of BELLIGERENTS
icy AssoclateA eressI

BERNE, November Switzerland
finally has taken initial steps 10 on
troll the undesirable foreign element
from which she has suffered as no
ether neutral country since August,
1914. New regulations adopted by the
federal council are intended TO make
II difficult Cor the agent OF one Of
the Narring countries, for the desert
er from any side. for the foreigner
without obvious, legitimate means CT
livelihood and occupation TO flock. as
heretofore, into the little country that
i trying desperately to maintain an
upright neutrality and at the same
time weather the storm until pe1C"
arrives
Switzerland hitherto has permitted,
without any material objection, scores
OF thousands of strangers to enter al
mos as free:y as in peace times. Now
action has been taken to stop this
only because her hospitality has been
grossly violated. her neutrality a;
times even threatened.
The new rules which will become
effective as soon as the Swiss diplO-
matte and consular officials through
uIt the world can be notified, require
that all foreigners entering the cOun.
try must be equipped with iron-clad
passports from their own countries, or
equivalent papers of Identification;
that prior to coming to Switzerland
al foreigners must furnish to Swiss
diplomatic or consular officials ade-
4uate reasons for wanting to come
here, and that, after arrival, strang-
ers must register with the police of
the city or town they intend to in
nabit
There has always been a daily traf-
TIC between France and Switzerland
IL the neighborhood Of Geneva. and
between Germany and Switzerland
lear Basel on the part of laborers and
others. Many undesirable foreigners
have struggled themselves across the
border and have failed to return Once
IN Switzerland they have been able to
hide because of the lack of control
over foreigners.
That is all to be changed. Every
person crossing the border at other
than the ordinary points where iron
clad passports will be required will
be numbered If he fails to return the
police will be put upon his trail. He
will have little chance of escaping,
for without the right kind of creden.
tails, he is unable to obtain bread. A
bread card today is more important
even than the money with which to
purchase 1t, and bread card is issued
only on presentation of Identification
papers.
The hotel at which the newcomer
stops, the pension that takes him in,
the private family to whom he may
go, are all liable to heavy penalties II
they fail to announce his arrival.
There remains the problem Of the
deserters who have managed to flee
across the boundary from one army
or another. and Of the near deserters,
those who have come here with the
permission OF their respective govern.
ments, and then have declined to re-
turn. Swiss law prescribes that these
Ieserters and refractionaries as they
are called cannot be forcibly deport-
ed. There are IN Switzerland now, it
Is estimated, between ten and fifteen
thousand of these gentry. Not all OF
them are bad citizens Hundreds o.!
them at least are gaintully occupied
and are living model nves. Others are
undesirable to the point of being out
and-out criminals. Figures for Geneva
alone show that out of 10000 foreign.
ers, among its 10000 population, 1886
are deserters, and 2452 refractionaries
while in Zurich these figures are ex.
ceeded.
The agitation for the utilization OF
the man-power represented by the de
serters and refractionaries is so
strong that it will surprise no one to
see steAs taken to incorporate the
majority of them into civilian ser
vice of manual labor in agriculture.