The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-11-30
Railways and Industrial
Forces of Little Republic
at Foes Mercy.
INVASION THREATENED
Teuton Army Massing on
Frontier Menaces Nation
and Allies Rear.
SPIES OvERRUNNING LAND
Interallied Conference in Paris
Will Devise Plan to Check
Tntrigues.
THREATENED
SPIES OvERRUNNING LAND

Copvrfoht, 1917: oil rights reserved.


Copyright, 1917: oil rights reserUed.
PARIS, Nov. a9--Tho interallied con-
ference, which opened hero to-day. will
be- confronted in It's first sessions with
the problem of combating tho menace OF
German intrigue in Switzerland, the
ramif1cations OF which have created
situation full OF the gravext possibilities.
Recent dispatches reveal the extent OF
tho German attempt to disorganise the
civil, military and industrial forces Of
the republic SO that It. will bo unable
effectively to enforce It's neutrality
should the German armies invade It's ter
rtory to strike the Allies In the back.
Switzerland since the beginning of the
war has been the headquarters Of Ger.
man intrigue, from which emanated an
insldious propaganda, of which the terta-
cles extend all over Europe and the
United States. and even into the Far
East. Neither the Swiss Government
nor the Swiss people are responsible for
this selection. The geographical position
Of the country made 1t the natural centre
OF the web which the German agents
spun
Zurich Riots Revealed Plots.
Zurich. Lugano, Geneva, Lausanne.
Basic and Berne we're IN communication
with Berlin and passed the instructions
Of Wilhelmetrasse to the Bolos, Duvals,
klIenines. Trotzkys, Cavaliinis and Abbas
Hilmis in German pay. Tile recent riots
| In Zurich. under the guisc OF pacifist
demonstrations, were the first impressive
revelations OF the results of the plots in
Switzerland. Since November Is there
| has been a series of premeditated revo-
lutionary outbreaks ACCOMPANIED by acts
OF violence,
Fortunately. the great mass OF the
Swiss people arc still uncontaminated,
| but Teuton agents found in the diss ats
fled recruits and In thousands OF work;
men In Berne Zurich and Geneva fertile
ground In which TO SOW the seeds Of
discord. owing to the privations due to
| the high cost Of living. A large num-
: ber Of anarchists and pacifsts who FED
from Italy to Zur ch were brought by
Ger man money to foment outbreaks.
In the domain OF finance German con-
! troll OF many Of the largest and most
| Important institutions was utilized TO
! undermine Switzerland neutrality
I Money was poured into Swiss enterprises
and financial support was promised wher-
ever there was opportunity to increAss
swiss obligations 10 Germany indus
| trially.
Germany Dominates Factories.
The extent OF the German Industrial
4 domination Is revealed by the activities
In the last two months OF Walter Rathe-
,, nau. who at the beginning OF the war
| was the head OF most important cor
| porations In Germany that controlled
raw products. He arrived in Switxer-
land In September, accompanied by 500
workmen He had already organized
/ two corporations. one a consolidate ton
OF certain munition works. the other Q
| combination OF all Swiss electric poyysf
companies. which is now In the DO
sition OF being able to stop the opera
tion OF the Government owned rail.
| roads.
| At that time tho Swiss Governmcr,
had Just began to electrity It's railroads
As Switzerland depends entirely on Ger
many for coal. the cutting off of tr!.
| supply would leave the railroads abso-
luteiy dependent on RatlIenau for power.
and the mobilization OF the Swiss army
would be greatly retarded should the
| German owners disable the electric
power plants. crppling the railroads.
Rathenaus employees. who are mainly
young men OF military age. all expert
electricians. and engineers. are. like their
chief all under German military au-
thorty. which means that Berlin has ab-
solute control over one OF Switzerland's
, vital military services.
The Swiss Government, which has
Just reiterated its firm protest against
tho German blockade. Is perturbed also
over the appearance Of German troops
IN etrong force on the frontier where
they are practising military exercises.