Evening star., 1922-07-16
Finds Contentment of Swiss
Founded in Y Youths Education

tiona. processes which have been
conttnued from age to tGge. This
l4nd. OF course. ID the greatest ex-
ample Of . practically free democ-
racy. The Initiative and referen-
were q small g Switzerland and
offered the same sort Of education
that the Swiss have. received, Il
should at once withdraw by OBJ
lection to the initiative and ref
erendum. But that which works
well in . restricted area may be
altogether valueless in a vast ter
rftory. That which is good for
men who think alike is likely to be
sbad for men Of divers minds.
ceptiQp. not only of questions Of
momA It to the republic. but of
those larger questions which in
volye the world.
This 10 the one country in Europe
the currency of which Is at par.
The people are not doing the busi-
ness they would like to do. yet
there is bread and meat. oil and
wine for every citizen. You hear
none of the complaints and regrets
so vociferous elsewhere. even in
America. The people seem to real
ize the worlds economic condi-
tfon and. without sullenness. 20 on
: leading their contented lives.
am convinced that whatever
may happen to any other govern
ment on earth. Switzerland will re-.
main the free republic Of the Alps
Ny one regret is that every dis
contented American cannot be
transported to this little republic
to view its prudence. economy.
thrift and self-sacrifce Many who
rail against fate and the United
States government would catch a
different vision Of what life con-
sists and would return home deter
mined to toll and economixe and
even to suffer in order that their
big republic might have none but
its realm.
Aside from their accent, Swiss
citizens are much like Americans.
They know all about the United
States, its wealth and it's opportu-
mites for getting on, but they are
not envious of US nor are they
desirous Of changing places with
fs. Their contentment in view Of
the frugal lives they are compelled
myself. who is not ambitious to
accumulate. 1t took me some time
to grasp the origin of their con-
tentment. but when disclosed. cause
was found to be that which has
ever proved to be the cause OF all
that Is good in the world as we'll
as Of all that fs i'll.
The cause traces itself back to
the education Of the youth of the
Switzerland complaining that time
is being wasted by teaching the
boy how to compute interest be-
cause he will never use his
knowledge. We could we'll emu
late the Swiss, whose children are
being taught things which need
to be emphasized in the public
school system of America They
are being taught not only to know
but to- understand. Their instruc-
ton has to do with facts and with
the causes Of facts. Out of this
have come content and Quietude
This 10 the one land where the
will of the individual is carefully
trained.
shall not be bold enough to
claim that John Calvin Of Geneva,
my patron religious saint, was re-
sponsiblc wholly for this, but I
am foolish enough to believe that
when he proclaimed the sovereign
ty Of God and exerted his influence
on the religious life Of the repub-
lie he did much to create that con-
troll of the human will which is so
Characteristic Of the Swiss. That
these people believe that the su-
preme thing 10 the maintenance of
their liberty under their form of
government there can be no doubt.
When the good of the republic is
at stake the interest of the indi-
vidual 10 Of slight moment and
his will has been SO trained that
as between his country and his
own personal advantage. country
comes first. How like John CAL
win. who impressed his followers
with the sovereignty Of God, re-
gardless of the individual con-
venience Of humankind.
Yes. here 10 q people who know.
who know why they know: whose
individuals, while exercising the
largest individual liberty, yet
realize that liberty is anarchy IL it
be not used to serve the republic.
Treason is not levying war here.
1907 nv Tbornsa MsySh.Il