New-York tribune., 1920-05-23
SW iss Oes
of Government
Labor Law Win
By Majority of 1000 the
Voters Decide Against
Federal Power Regulat-
ing Conditions of Work
Autocracy Was Feared
People Also Pass the Anti
Gambling Law; All Hous-
es Must Close in 5 Years
From, a Specia; Correspondent

FROM q SpeCMt Correspondent
GENEVA, May 5.-Complete returns
of the nationwide election of March 90
sustain the victory of the opponents of
the proposed law giving the Federal
ditions of work throughout the Con-
federation. The bare margin of 1000
votes by which the unofficial figures
showed this law to have been defeated
has been increased to 1,946-a small
enough plurality in total vote of more
than 100000 but nevertheless decisive.
The vote at the recent election was
on referendum of the law of June q,
1919, which, besides delegatng to the
Federal government power to regulate
working conditions, provided for the
establishment of an elaborate organ
ization at Berne to administer this law.
Its opponents also argued that under
one of It's articles the law virtually
delegated to the central government
complete control of industry in the
Confederation. Salaries, they said,
would be fixed by "the bureaucracy at
Berne." which would consult only
few Of the great syndicates before TAX
ing action power would be centralized
to a dangerous extent; the cantons
would lose still more of their prerog
atives. The partisans of the measure
naturally claimed for it the embodi-
ment of the most advanced principles
of social justice and of the control of
industry.
Elements Equally Divided
! The alignment on this question grad
ually developed into a more or less
clearcut division between organized
labor, favoring the law, and the pro-
fessional and agricultural classes, op-
posing it. The fact that it was de-
feated by vote of 256,401 to 254, ,455
shows the virtual equality of strength
which exists between the opposing ele-
ments in Switzerland to-day.
Subordinate to this, perhaps, in gen
eral interest, but certainly surprising
it in it's appeal to the man in the
street, were the two projects submitted
to the electorate relative to changing
Article 35 of the Swiss constitution
which relates to the matter of
gambling houses. The constitution of
1874 had outlawed gambling in Swift
including one which opened the door
to gaming enterprises which furthered
recreation or public utility" had
drawn the teeth of the prohibition.
Two propositions came before the
voters. One was to forbid the open
ing of new gambling houses in Sw:.1o.-
land, and to allow five years for the
suppression of those now existing. The
alternative was to prohibit the future
establishment Of gaming halls, but to
delegate to the several cantons the
| foto Of
already existing,
Feeling Intense ON Question
Feeling on this question was intense,
if one-sided. All of the stock argu-
ments against gambling were mar
law (Which ended all public gambling
in five years.. They drew pathetic
pictures of the flower of the nation
being enticed into the gambling houses
by the alluring clink of the gold Ca
slight error, since there is gambling
only with silver in Geneva's principal
gaming house), and of the ruination
which would be brought upon the COM
ing generation if it were not protected
against evil influences.
In Geneva, of course, all of this was
directed at the Kursaal, a combination
theater, dance hall and gambling house,
which occupies a prominent position
on the lake front The unre generate
preserved on injured silence until a
few days before the election and then
they plaa.ered Geneva with posters
arguing that "The Kursaal Never
Ruined Anybody!" And. indeed, cur
sorry visits to the public gambling
rooms, with their two and FIVE franc
limits and their comparatively small
patronage, seemed to dscredit the pros.
poets of MANY blphted careers There
is, however, private roulette room, tc
which admission is by card only, and
in which the limit of play is 10(
francs.
Nevertheless, the gambling ele
ment triumphed gloriously by vote
Of 276.021 to 223,122. They voted dowr
the alternative, on which they heapec