The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-08
UNDESIRABLE"
IMMIGRANTS ARE
REAL MENACE TO
SWITZERLAND
Government Finally Fore
ed to Take Steps to Pro-
tect Neutrality
HOSPITALITY HAS
BEEN VIOLATED
Spies, Deserters and Riff
raft of All Countries
Flock In

Berne, Nov. Correspondence
OF The Associated Press. )-Switzer
land finally has taken initial steps
to control the undesirable foreign
element from which she has suffered
as no other neutral country since
August, 1914. New regulations
adopted by the federal council are
intended to make it difficult for the
agent Of one Of the warning coun-
tries, for the deserter from any side,
for the foreigner without obvious,
legitimate means of livelihood and
occupation to flock, as heretofore,
into the little country that is trying
desperately to maintain an upright
neutrality and at the same time
weather the storm until peace ar
rives.
Switzerland hitherto has permit
ted, without any material objection,
scores of thousands of strangers to
enter almost as freely as in peace
times. Now action has been taken to
stop this only because her hospitality
has been grossly violated, her
neutrality at times even threatened.
The New Rules.
The new rules which will become
effective as soon as the Swiss diplo-
matte and consular officials through
out the world can be notified, re-
quire that all foreigners entering the
country must be equipped with IRON
clad passports from their own coun-
tries, or equivalent papers Of identifi-
cation; that prior to coming to
Switzerland all foreigners must fur
nish to Swiss diplomatic or consular
officials adequate reasons for want
ing to come here, and that, after ar
rival, strangers must register with
the police of the city or town they
intend to inhabit.
There has always been a daily
traffic between France and Switzer-
land in the neighborhood OF Geneva,
and between Germany and Switzer-
land near Basel on the part Of labor
ers 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 all Is to be changed. Every
person crossing the border at other
than the ordinary points where iron
clad passports will be required viii
be numbered. If he fails to return
the police will be put upon his trail.
He win have little chance OF escap-
ing, for without the right kind OF
credentials, he is unable to obtain
important even than the money with
which to purchase it-and a bread
cars 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
IL they fail to announce his arrival.
Problem of Deserters.
There remains the problem OF the
deserters who have managed to nee
across the boundary from one army
or another, and OF the near deserters,
those who have come here with the
permission Of their respective gov
ernments and then have declined to
return. Swiss law provides that
these deserters and refractionaries
as they are called can not be forctbly
deported. There are in Switzerland
now, it is estimated, between 10000
and $4,000 of these gentry. Not all
Of them are bad citizens. Hundreds
of them at least are gainfully oc-
cupied and are living model lives.
Others are undesirable to the point
OF being out-and-out criminals.
Figures for Geneva alone show that
out of 10000 foreigners among its
10000 population, 1886 are desert
ers, and 2,452 refractionaries, while
in Zurich these figures are exceed
ed.
The agitation for the utilization OF
the man-power represented by the
deserters and refractionaries is so
strong that it win surprise no one
to see steps taken to incorporate the
majority of them into civilian sery-
ice Of manual labor in agriculture.