The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-12-26
M; .C,lO s,.Ci55iS~
Collection of uncrowned Kings
And Broken Down Royalty
Head For There
Raft CT they, rid


self from being ''cosmopolitanized."
Never since the day that William
Tell shot the apple off his sons head
have the Swiss faced a situation in
which they feel that their national and
individual existence. is so threaten ii
as ,pow, and that from danger that no
people, no nation, no race has ever
yet ,faced-that of being "eosmopoli-
tanized"
For even New York. with its MILL
on Italians. its several million Jews
and its hundreds and hundreds OF
thousands of variC0s. other national
I tiles, the city still remains essentially
American.
But Switzerland is convinced she
can hope for no-such luck. If she
permits herself TO be swamped with
the waves of people that are now
pouring over her borders. she is fully
persuaded that not only will il be
mighty,hard in the end 10 find any
trace of the Swiss people but that
the country itself. unlike American
New York, will lose all characters
tics and all Municipalities that now
mark Switzerland as Swiss.
Switzerland the Mecca.
Since the outbreak of the war
Switzerland has become the Mecca
of all European people seeking ref
uge for various reasons from various
disasters that threaten them in their
own country. In the early days of
war, and as far as. that is concerned,
for years preceding the great motive
for moving into Switzerland and be-
coming a. Swiss citizen was to escape
obligatory military service I'm one
owns country. Before the var this
was only a sort If nightmare and
caused probably the swiss flcation'
OF only q few hundred or few thous-
and Russians. Germans, Italians,
French, Hungarians, Austrians and
others.
When, with the outbreak of the
war. this nightmare became a living
reality naturally the number of those
who felt an irresistible charm for
Switzerland Increased and continued
throughout the entire period of the
war.
Following the Armistice.
Ind Re%, following the armistice
and peace, the number is even great
en- than ever although for different
reasons. While Switzerland is still
attracting hundreds and thousand of
political refugees who for one reason
or another are PERSONA non grata in
the new states. and even the old ones,
that are grow ing out of the peace
conference adjustment, yet by far the
principal number now seeking to ooze
into Switzerland are men of great
wealth, usually war profiteers, who
are seeking 10 escape the burden OF
taxation awaiting them if they contin
ne their citizenship in any one of the
countries That went to war and now
has war Indebtedness TO pay off.
Riff Raft In Switzerland.
While Hundreds and thousands OF
the political refugees such as de-
throned monarchs and discredited
statesmen who escaped into ~SwitZer.
land were usually able 10 bring with
them a goodly portion of their for
tunes. yet these latter are mere bag
atefles compared with the gigantic
sums which war profiteers and others
are trying to smuggle over the Swiss
frontier in order TO escape the war
tax collector.
In any large European country this
access TO the population of few
hundred or a few thousand men oil
vast wealth would not constitute q
danger and would be encouraged as
n highly desirable addition to the pa
tion's wealth and population.
In small country like Switzsr
land, however, the situation is vastly
different. The Swiss see clearly tha
all oftnis vast wealth now coming in
TO the country will eventually be IN
yested> in Swiss industries. THAI
means at the end of year all the
financial, industrial and economic life
of the country will be in the hands
of foreigners.
Control of Utilities.
Then from private control to pub
lie control is but step. The natur'
alization laws in Switzerland at the
present time are very loose and easy
Only a very short time Is necessary
for all these wealthy foreigners Il
become Swiss citizens, to become
eligible for all the public offices from
the highest down.
AS consequence they are nov
putting up a valiant fight TO save
themselves from this Cosmopolitan
izatien" largely through the revision
of their naturalization laws and theii
Regulations permitting foreigners u
reside in their country.
Easy to Get Naturalized.
Before the war there was probably
no country in the world where it wa!
easier to get naturalized either b,
honest or dishonest means that IL
Switzerland All that was necessar!
MAS for foreigner to take up resi-
dence in some sNviss canton and aftel
two years the canton authorities hat
The right TO grant Swiss citizenship
AS a matter of fact hundreds II no
thousands were able by the paymen
of q little hush money to induce thu
local authorities in some out OF TN
way canton not only TO shorten this
period of time but even to render ac
tual residence unnecessary.
+. This possibility was greatly takef
advantage OF before the war by citi
zens of Austria, Italy and othe
countries where divorce laws do no
exist or are very difficult BY COINS
M TO Switzerland and arranging wft
the local Swiss authorities to become
naturalized in a remarkably shor
ueriod Of time. then secure divorc'
under Swiss laws they could return