The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-09-23
MIR. MEIER TELLS
OF SWISS TRIP

Albert Meier, who is just back fror
visit in Switzerland with his wife
father and brothers, declares the Swis
government very alert in protecting he
boundaries against Bolshevik invasion
Soldiers guard all the boundaries, Mr.
Meier says, and none except those will
passports is allowed to enter.
"My wife's family owns farm in ;
corner of Switzerland that is bounded
by German territory on two sides. A
part of the farm is in German territory
and the workmen have to present pass
es when they 90 over the border tc
make hay. | helped harvest the hay
crop and so was permitted to cross over
into German territory, but my visit
over there was limited to my father-in-
laws farm.
ut was gratifying to US to find our
relatives in such good condition. They
had plenty to eat. Their larders were
well provided, and the wine cellars and
granaries were filled. ] had an idea
that ] might have to eat lightly while
away. When | saw the conditions
confded TO my brothers-in-law that |
would dip into the food literally.
Switzerland generally, except for the
big tourist hotel interests, has with
stood the war we'll The American
dollar now demands six francs and sew
en- centimes, whereas it was worth only
five francs and nine centimes before
exchange declined. Vegetables, both
in France and Switzerland, are more
plentiful than in America and are sell
ing cheaper. Boiling meat sells for 60
cents per pound, in American money,
and sirloins cost 80 cents. Eggs were
selling for eight cents apiece. A good
COW costs S400 and horses demand $500 |
We found the Swiss farmers using cows
almost exclusively for draft animals. |
The cows are MIXED and thus are not |
lead weight during the winter months. |
1T was interesting to me to discover |
hat we received two per cent more in
exchange in France for our American
Daper money than for American gold.
wasn't able to discover the reason for
his. In France paper is used for frac-
ional money. The smallest denomina-
ion is tenth of franc. When it is
over than that one is liable to get
ostage stamps for change. AS we
rossed the Swiss border an American
itizen on our train was found with $40
! gold on his person. The gendarmes
ispossesed him of it, although it was
merican money. The law says that
ne can remove from France only 10
'ancs in gold coin. The American said
lat he would complain to the Ameri-
an consul in Switzerland. | never
card how he came out with his trou- ,
les.
while we made no side trips to the
ar zone, our railroad crossed the fight
g area of France and for 10 miles we
w evidences of heavy fighting. In
lie place all of the tops of big fir and
ne forest had been swept away by
ellis. Trenches remained untitled and
ellholes still yawned IN meadows. 4,
he thing that impressed me most was :
e barbed wire. 1t had been gatherep i
huge piles. as big as houses, along
e railroad line. The wire was all
sty and tangled-looking. | wonder
nat they they will do with it.
Switzerland doesn't take much in :
rest in American apples. They i'm
rt their fruit from Italy and Spain.
talked with merchants and they ex-
essed the belief thatt they could not
ndle Hood River apples. The Swiss =
e eager to see the return of the pros !
rous tourist days of before the war.
nericans are greeted eagerly. The
nduct of America in the war won 3
eat admiration for the the Swiss. i
ar them lauded on every hand. /
es. Wilson is held in high esteem.
It the Swiss people would think more u
him if he had been more stubborn in A
J support of his Ia points,"