The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-17
PEASANTS
IN STRONG UNION

PARIS. Nov. IT.--Louis' Farges, min
lister plenipotentiary Of France. who has
for many years been French consul In
Switzerland, has lately published In the
Recue Hebdomadaire a study on a pc.
culiar point Of the internal situation Of
Switzerland, which offers a certain an.
alogy with that Of France.
A few years & the creation of the
Soctete Suisse du Commerce ct de RIM
dustrie, the Union Suisse des Arts ct
Meters, and the Union Ouvriere, il was
felt necessary for agriculture TO Join It's
voice to that Of commerce and Industry
in economic matters Of policy in gem
eral and OF the customs policy in par
ucular, n this necessity gave rise to a
Swiss agricultural secFetaryship.
On the 7th OF June, 1891, Isl dele
gates, representing about 200, 900 peas
ants, met together in Berne and found
ed the Swiss League Of Peasants. The
founders came from all the various
cantons. So well did they realize the
Importance OF their task that. after a
discussion of the statutes which they
had adopted, the whole assembly rose
to Its feet and in the midst OF intense
emotion h a IL gave Its final assent.
L'Union Suisse des Paysans was found
ed. In 1897 this union had 74,229 mem
bers, In 1917 this number had increased
to $4,000. and today II has reached the
figure Of $50, 900.
When, in 1918, the crisis OF the high
cost Of living, which was made the most
OF by the partisans OF Bolshevism, pro-
Voked the manifesto OF the committee
Of Often, the federal chambers which
were convoked a v to the executive the
necessary authority by passing a reSo-
luton that the general strike must be
repressed, that no negotiations would be
entered into, and that the complete ca
pitulation of the strikers must be OBJ
tanned even IL IL necessltated the m
ployment of the strongest
Backed by the representatives OF the
nation, the federal council summoned
the Often committee to stop the strike,
and this committee was obliged to sub
nit, Thought the calmness and firm
ness of the federal council, supported
by the resolution of the chambers, IL
was thus possible to put IN end to a
revolutionary attempt without employ.
ing force.
But the federal council could never
have taken these measures II II had nnt
superior power OF the union Is vested in
the assembly Of delegates, In the pro-
portion of one delegate for 500 mem
bers, an assembly, the authority Of
which Is exercised by these three or
gans; The directing committee, the ad-
ministration, and the agricultural secre-
taryship, this last being the handspring
of the whole organization.
To further it's efforts and make
known It's ideas, the union has an organ,
lie Paysan Suisse, which has a oircu-
lation OF about 1876, 900 copies a month,
100, 900 In German and 25, 900 In French;
and, secondly, It possesses a particular
institution. known as men Of conf
dence," which assures II militant and
constant action.
The agricultural associations desig-
nate one man for each commune, and
there are about 1000 OF these men who
do not n subscriptions, but who have
the same rights AS the subscribers, and
whose mission It Ia to make known
and to render e~fficacious the action Of
the union. Through them the Paysan
Suisse circulates from hand to hand.
information on new agricultural proc
esses is spread, and distrust Is dissl-
pated.
1t shows great wisdom and clever
ness on the part OF the Union Suisse
des Paysans to have known how to cap
ture II utilize these men OF conf
dence" to its own profit through the
influence which these chosen citizens
can not fall to exert over their friends
and acquaintance.