New Britain herald., 1924-04-11
GENEVA MAY CALL
 0N LEAGUE TO AID
Dispute Arises Over Swiss Penin.
 sula in French Sea

Washington, D. C., April 11.--Call- ing on the League of Nations--from within its own household, so to speak--to settle a discussion with France, next door, is an action threat ened by the Canton of Geneva of the Swiss Republic, in which this world organization has its seat.
 This queer combination of world problem and domestic problem re- suits from Geneva's being a sort of ''political and economic penincua thrust into France" according to a bulletin from the Washington, D. C., headquarters of the National Geo. graphic society describing the canton.
 Depends on French Supplies
 The Canton of Geneva seems to hang precariously to the rest of Swift ,crland like a fragment of food on the bottom of spoon," says the bulletin. Though it has an area of more than hundred square miles its contact with Swiss territory is across a narrow neck little more than three miles wide. The contact with France, on the other hand, is along a border more than 50 miles long.
 Naturally, Geneva has looked largely to French land, only a stones throw away in every direction, for its fresh supplies. The fact that this surrounding region is one of Frances s garden spots increased this natural dependence. Ringing Geneva round are the prolific orchards and gardens
 Af rf ments of Upper Savoy and Ain, and general farming regions in which they are set with their poultry and small nocks of farm animals.
 Geneva has drawn many of its supplies from this region for cen turies, long before the territory near by was either French or Swiss, The city was virtually independent during the Middle Ages, being ruled as the temporal realm of bishop appointed hy the Pope. For fifteen years after the First French Republic was es- tablished, Geneva was annexed to France, and no question of boundaries arose.
 Century old Privilege Withdrawn
 When the canton's independence was restored in 1915, the custom of drawing on the surrounding country for supplies was recognized and DOT tons of Savoy and Ain were set apart as regions of free trade, the French economic frontier being maintained some miles back from the real boun- dary. When the recent treaty of Versailles was written France in- serted a clause moving the customs frontier up fo the territorial boun- dary line. The Swiss citizens voted against their governments accepting the change, and it is the resulting dis pute that may so 10 the League of Nations.
 ITO see Savoy's frontiers creep closer is no innovation for Genevans. For six hundred years the city had 10 withstand the intrigues of, the counts and later the dukes of Savoy 10 get possession of it's territory. One duke In i444 even went so far as to have himself elected Pope, in that capacity appointed himself bishop of Geneva, and then resigned the papacy. retaining the bishopric. After the death of this resourceful bishop a succession Of his relatives held the office Of bishot of Geneva, but they were finally busted.
 Used "Ecmomic prcssure-
 Another Savoyard duke used economic pressure that has sn un- pleasantly modern tone in his efforts 10 ruin the city he could not gain possession of. He induced his som in-law. the King of France. to pro- hibit French merchants from visiting the famous old Geneva fair and to set dates for the Lyons fair that would conflict with thoss of the Geneva meeting.